Bet On It
by rhia xo
Summary: SEQUEL IS OUT! Troy Bolton thinks he can score with anyone, but what happends when a sure bet, makes Troy rethink his feelings? And Will secrets still say secrets? TROYELLA. Can't write too much without giving the story away!
1. Not Your Typical Cheerleader

**Hey guys, this story randomly came into my head so I just began writing it. It was supposed to be uploaded last night, but I went ice-skating, so sorry x**

**Disclaimer; I obviously don't own High School Musical or its characters, but my own characters were made by me.**

**Enjoy the chapter guys - and REVIEW!**

**Btw, hope you guys have a great Christmas - expect a Christmas oneshot from me soon! **

**Rhia xx**

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****Bet On It.**

**Chapter One – Not Your Typical Cheerleader**

"Hi, I'm Chad." Chad Danforth grinned at the pretty brunette in front of him.

"Gabriella." She nodded.

"So you wanna go out sometime?" He grinned.

"Um, no thanks, but it was sweet of you to ask." She smiled at him gently then walked off with about three girls following her.

"There's no way she can be cheerleading captain!" Chad groaned to his best friend, and most popular boy at school, Troy Bolton.

Troy laughed. "How come?"

"Well she's like really kind, but so so hot."

"And she's a cheerleader?" Troy asked, shocked.

"She's captain dude."

"No way, that's that girl I've been checking out all the time in practise?"

"Ahuh. I bet she wouldn't even say yes to a date with you." Chad grinned.

"Oh really. Fifty bucks she will." Troy smirked, holding his hand out to his best friend.

"Hold on there, she has to say yes to a first AND second date."

"Whatever man, she'd say yes to a third and fourth as well."

"If you say so. Four dates – no way." Chad laughed as they both shook on it.

"I'll just put on the Bolton charm, it works every time." He winked then walked off to the gym.

--

"OKAY GIRLS!" Gabriella shouted over the noise of gossiping cheerleaders. The gym went quiet.

"Nationals are in two weeks! This is our chance, so we really need to work on our routine!" She smiled.

"Gabriella, with you as our captain – were so going to win!" Emily exclaimed.

"Aw thanks Emily, hopefully your right – it would be awesome to win! Now, I'm just going to run you through a few moves we have to pin down for Nationals okay?" Everyone nodded so Gabriella headed to the far end of the gym.

Troy walked in, hoping for the gym to be free so he could have a few period work out. He stopped in his tracks when he heard music blasting. He carried on walking then smirked.

Gabriella made sure the cheerleaders were watching her, and then began with a cartwheel. She then went into the splits then done a few cheers and some flips.

The music stopped then Gabriella turned round to see the girls all clapping.

Along with the girls was Troy Bolton. We walked out from the corner he was watching from, and then walked straight towards Gabriella.

"Nice moves." He grinned.

"Thanks. And you are?" She asked.

"You don't know who I am?" Troy asked, and then started laughing.

"Oh wait, I know – your Troy Bolton right?" She asked.

"Yep, that's me."

"I'm Gabriella." She smiled.

"So wanna spend your free period with me?"

"I've got a practise to take."

"How about lunch?"

"Um.. How about we just let fate decide? If we bump into each other, we do, but if we don't, we don't."

"Then I'll just have to make sure I bump into you then. See you." He winked.

"Bye Troy!!" Sarah squealed.

"Bye..?" He stood there for a while, trying to think of a name.

"Her names Sarah." Gabi sighed.

"Oh right. I knew that."

"I enjoyed last night, how about we do it again tonight?" She asked.

Troy shot a look at Gabriella, trying to make out he didn't know what she was on about.

Gabriella rolled her eyes then grabbed her pompoms.

"Troy!" Sarah hissed.

"Sure, whatever." He nodded then walked out.

--

"Gabriella Montez?!" Zeke laughed as Chad told him about his morning.

"Of course she wouldn't go out with you. She might be a cheerleader, but she doesn't just go out with anyone." He continued.

"Troy think's he can get four dates off her." Chad muttered.

"I don't even know if that's possible. I had a date with her last year. It was one of the best dates ever – but she doesn't give them out to just anyone." He warned.

"How did you get one then?" Chad laughed.

"Ha-ha. She was in my art class. May I add she's an amazing artist as well. Well we got along really well, so I asked her out. She said yes. She only says yes to people she trusts. Were still good friends actually."

"How the hell is she a cheerleader?" Chad groaned.

"Hey guys." Troy said dumping his tray down beside Chad.

"Got your first date yet?" Chad smiled.

"Nah, this might take longer than I thought."

"Well good, cos you have till Spring Fling."

"Spring Fling!? Chad that's not long away!" Troy cried.

"Tell you what, to make it more interesting, fifty bucks for four dates, I'll add another fifty if you can get her to go to the dance with you."

"I can't stick to one girl for that long."

"Well what about Sarah, see her on the side." Chad laughed.

"Who's Sarah?"

---

"So, are you seeing Troy?" Sharpay asked Gabriella.

"Whoa, no."

"What did he want at practise?" Taylor asked confused. Taylor and Sharpay were Gabriella's closest friends, and were also cheerleaders.

"I seriously have no idea, he seemed to be coming onto me though."

"Oh my god. You have to say yes!" Sharpay squealed.

"Shar, he's like the player at the school. You seen it earlier, he couldn't even remember Sarah's name, FROM LAST NIGHT?!"

"True. But he is so hot. I mean he's the hottest guy at this school. Possibly in the whole of New Mexico!" She giggled.

"Hey!" A voice said behind Gabi, making her jump.

She quickly turned around. "I wouldn't class this as bumping into me." She smiled.

"I know, I just wanted to see you." Troy said.

"How come?"

"What, can't a normal guy like me want to see the one of the hottest girl in school at lunch?"

Gabriella blushed. "Thanks for the complement, but I'm definitely not one of the hottest girls at this school.."

"Your right. You ARE the hottest girl at the school."

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but why the sudden interest in me?"

Troy thought about it for a while. He had been checking her out for a while before the bet came along, but the bet give him more of an excuse to talk to her more anyway. "I've liked you forever Gabs."

"Gabs? Look, it's nice how you've just come out and said all this, but I'm not really looking for a boyfriend right now." She said sympathetically.

"How about a date for the dance?" He asked hopefully.

"Uh, how about I get back to you?" She suggested.

Troy, seeing her was getting nowhere with her right now, agreed then returned to his table.

"I swear, she must not be into guys to turn me down." He groaned.

"She turned you down?!" Zeke laughed.

"Well she used the whole, 'How about I get back to you?' and the 'I'm happily single'. She couldn't have made it more obvious."

"Harsh." Chad nodded.

"I'm going to have work harder than I thought with this one."

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**REVIEW! xx**


	2. Afraid

**Thanks for all the response for this story! It really means alot to me, to know people like reading my stories - so I decided to upload this chapter as a thank you D!**

**I'd also like to ask you to take a look at my other story, Where I Belong, because it's not getting a lot of attention like it used too. It's the sequal to my most popular story (which is completed) Anywhere But Here! So please take a look at it!**

**Anyway, enjoy the chapter guys and REVIEW! xx**

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**Chapter Two – Afraid **

Gabriella smiled at herself in her big mirror. She was wearing a grey long sleeved top, jeans, black flat shoes, and a grey jacket. She grabbed her black bag and headed downstairs.

"Mom, I'm going!" She called out.

"Okay honey, you have a nice time – and don't work those cheerleaders too hard!" She smiled then waved as her daughter walked out of the door and into her dark blue convertible.

Gabriella drove to school and parked in the car park. As she got out, a certain somebody happened to be getting out of his car at the same time.

"What a coincidence." Troy said, as they both got out at the same time.

"Or maybe you just sat in your car, waiting for me to arrive?" She laughed.

"You know me too well." He paused. "I know what you think of me, that I go from girl to girl, I use people, I don't care about anybody other than myself, but that's not me."

"Oh really?"

"Really. I admit, I dated a lot of girls in the past, who then just started spreading rumours about me, but there's more to me than just the basketball guy who has a girl on his arm."

"Like what?"

"Well, uh.."

"Uh? Oh I look for 'uh' in every guy Troy." She grinned.

"Well, I'm making a really big effort to impress you. I must get some brownie points for that." He sighed.

"Look Troy, I really appreciate you going to all this effort, but I'm really not that interested." She said truthfully.

"What would make you interested?" He asked.

"Something, I dunno – that makes you different. That shows you're not the same as the rest of the basketball jerks that sleep around." She smiled then walked off, leaving Troy to think of how he was going to convince Gabi he was something that he wasn't.

He followed her to her homeroom, and watched her sit by the rest of the cheerleaders and start talking with them. Even though he felt she seemed a bit of a good girl, there was something that made him want to win this bet more than ever. And it wasn't the fact he got one hundred bucks out of it.

"Hey man, what you doing outside here? Our homeroom is down there." Chad said, pointing to a colourful room down the hallway.

"Just checking something out." Troy answered, then turned away and walked down the hallway with Chad.

"More like someone." Chad laughed.

----

"Guys, I have an essay to write, so I'll be in the library okay?" Gabriella told her two best friends.

"Sure, we might pop in later – I have to find some book for my History assignment anyway." Taylor smiled, then she and Sharpay headed off.

Gabriella walked into the library, sat at the nearest table and got her books out.

"Perfect." Troy grinned, as he watched her set her stuff out. He casually walked over to her table and sat opposite her.

He watched her for a while, noticing the way her brown curls would sway about every time she turned the page, or how she was so oblivious to the fact he was sitting about a meter away from her.

"Never thought I'd find a cheerleader here." Troy said, making Gabriella jump then quickly look up.

Her body loosened back up once she saw who it was. "Never thought I'd find a basketball superstar here." She grinned.

"So you think I'm a superstar?"

"I didn't say that I thought it." She smiled, then went back to writing.

"You know, you're not what I was expecting," Troy started. Gabriella raised her eyebrows at him, but gave him a look to continue.

"I thought you'd be, the typical cheerleader. The girly, dumb, gossiper type."

"Oh really? Thanks."

"Well your not. Your clever, kind, sweet – your everything I thought you wouldn't be." Troy smiled.

"Is this supposed to make me feel good?" She laughed.

"Playing hard to get was so last year Gabi." Troy groaned.

"Sorry I'm not in with the times then." She giggled.

Troy smiled at her, a really genuine smile. Not his winning smile he'd use to get anyone into bed, a real smile.

"Look I've got to go, I'm late for practise as it is, I'll see you later." And with that, he was gone. Gabi smiled to herself then carried on writing.

Once the bell had gone, signalling next period – she headed out of the library with Taylor, who had joined her for the last ten minutes.

"He just came in, and started talking to you?" Taylor gasped.

"Yeah, it was weird."

"Who would have thought Troy would have even known we had a school library." Taylor giggled.

"Yeah I know, but then he started complementing me, and as much as I didn't want to, I felt really good about myself." She gushed.

"Yeah, the Bolton charm. You can't help but fall into his crystal blue eyes either." Taylor said, as if she was in a daydream.

"Tay, snap out of it sweetie."

"Sorry. So are you going to go out with him, he's obviously into you."

"How do I know it's for real, he could just want to lure me into bed Tay."

"True. But why should that be a bad thing. It's TROY BOLTON!" Taylor cried.

"Of course it would be nice, really nice even. But I'm not being used by him, I don't care how hot he is." Gabi said firmly.

----

"How's operation, 'try to get Gabriella on four dates and possibly even to get her as your date to prom' going?" Zeke asked in English.

"Hard to tell. I don't even know where this going myself."

"Well, she's defiantly not an easy one Troy."

"If she's not an easy one, how the hell did she become cheerleading captain?"

"Troy, I think they kinda decide whose captain, on skill, not how easy they are." Zeke laughed.

"Well she's got skill for sure."

"Why don't you invite her to your party this Friday, all the other cheerleaders are going, right?" Chad suggested, as he sat down beside Troy.

"That's a great idea! Everyone's coming, so she can't say no! Is this counted as a date?" Troy exclaimed.

"Nope. Because knowing you, you'll be with other girls too, not just Gabriella." Chad laughed.

"Fine."

----

Gabriella changed into her violet running clothes, then left her house, and started jogging down her road. She put her earphones in and carried on jogging to her usual place.

Troy jumped and let the ball leave his hands, his feet reached the floor again as the orange basketball swished through the net. Troy grinned then collected it again.

He was at his local parks basketball court, his court.

He got into position to shoot the ball again, but dropped it when he saw a petite brunette sitting on the swings. He left his ball and then jogged over.

"Hey." He said softly.

Gabriella turned around to see Troy standing before her.

"Stalking me?" She asked.

"I was about to ask you the same thing." He smirked.

"No, actually I jog here all the time. You?"

"I play basketball here." He said, pointing to the court.

"Oh, cool." She smiled.

"Look Gabriella, I know you're not interested but this isn't a date or nothing, but I'm having a party on Friday – and everyone's coming so you don't have to worry.. Anyway I was wondering if you wanted to come?" Troy asked hopefully.

"Sure. As long as I can bring Sharpay and Taylor?"

"Bring whoever you want." Troy winked, then walked back to the court.

Gabriella watched him for a bit, getting the basketball in the net every single time. She smiled to herself then got off the swing, and headed back home.

She got in and headed into the front room, getting out her laptop and starting her English assignment, once she had finished she got her sketchbook out and began drawing a familiar face. Troy's.

Gabriella's sketchbook was full of East High, events in her life and her friends and family. It was her own personal drawing diary. She started sketching Troy on the park's court, with herself watching from the sidelines. She drew a big thought bubble that took up most of the page, with one half Troy and her together, and the other Troy with about five girls on his arms.

This picture had been stuck in her head for days. Should she trust him, and believe he's only interested in her? Or forget what he says, and believe he doesn't really like her, he just wants something new in bed.

She shut her scrapbook shut, hoping the thoughts of Troy would go away. Never in her life had she been more confused about a boy. Of course, she wasn't new to dating, but the boys she dated were easy to understand, and trustworthy.

Unlike Taylor or Sharpay, she actually looked for someone worth knowing. Someone who she knew would always be right beside her.

Some called her picky, others called her fussy. But only Gabriella knew the truth. She was afraid.


	3. Promise

**Okay, sorry I haven't updated in a while : But today I'm hoping to upload a few chapters of my stories.**

**Also I want to know if you guys would read a Niley fic? I'm writing on atm, along with a new Troyella one. **

**And can you guys please check out my oneshot, Christmas Without You, I know Christmas is over, but still review etc - it hasn't been getting much attention :(.**

**Have a great New Year guys! And enjoy the chapter, and review etc etc :**

**x**

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**Chapter Three – Promise**

Friday morning. The hallways were full of excitement for Troy's party. Everyone would normally be pretty hyped up for any party, but this was Troy Bolton's party. And everyone knew it was definitely going to be remembered.

"Oh my god, Troy's party is going to be the best!" Sharpay cried as she walked into the crowded school with Taylor and Gabriella.

"I know. I haven't got a date for it though.. What about you guys?" Taylor asked.

"I'm going with Gregg." Sharpay answered.

"Gregg?" Gabi asked, confused.

"This really hot guy on the basketball team." She giggled.

"What about you Gabs?" Taylor looked at Gabriella, grinning.

"Flying solo." She smiled.

"So is Troy.." Sharpay sang.

"Well I doubt he will be for long, there's a queue of girls wanting to go with him."

"With you at the front!" Sharpay laughed.

"Hold on there! I'd say, I'm about seven down, we have some pretty desperate girls in this school.." Gabriella grinned.

"Guess who?" Two hands covered Gabriella's eyes.

"Wow, it smells like the biggest playboy in the school!"

"Nope, it's not Chris Davies!"

"Ha-ha, I was talking about the main one.. What's his name..? Troy Bolton! That's the one!" Gabriella giggled, Troy's hands still over her eyes.

"Correct!" Troy exclaimed, removing his hands from Gabriella's face.

"Excited for tonight?" He asked the three girls.

"Hell yeah!" Sharpay said happily.

"Got any friends without a date..?" Taylor asked Troy hopefully.

"Well.. there is one.." Troy grinned then motioned for someone from the jock crowd to come over.

"Chad, this is Taylor right?" Taylor nodded. "Taylor, this is Chad."

"Hey." Chad said.

"Taylor hasn't got anyone to go with to my party.." Troy said slowly, hoping Chad would catch on.

"Oh. Cool, wanna go with me?" He asked casually.

"Sure!" Taylor clapped her hands together.

"Troy! Are you taking me to your party then?" Megan asked, hugging Troy from behind. Troy's body stiffened, then shook her off.

"How about, if I have enough time, I'll come by yours?" Troy suggested. He didn't want to take her, but didn't want to lose her from her a physical only relationship too.

"You don't know where I live though?"

"I'll guess." Troy smiled, then she nodded, obviously not hearing what he had just said.

"So I take it you can't turn people down then?" Gabriella smirked, closing her locker then starting to walk down the hallway.

"Unlike you, I am actually considerate of people's feelings."

"Troy, you practically told her you'd go to her house, when you're obviously not.. And you care about other peoples feelings?"

"Fine. But you should know, I am actually a really caring person." He smiled.

"Sure you are." Gabriella said, giving him her fakest smile ever.

"You really need to work on your fake smile Gab." He laughed.

"Well, uh thanks for walking me to my homeroom.. You didn't have to – I mean your homerooms all the way up there." She said pointing ahead.

"No worries, like to see you safe." He grinned then turned around and walked away.

---

"5,6,7,8!" Gabriella shouted over the music, watching the cheerleaders quickly getting into positions, and waving their pompoms about.

"That's great girls!" She gave them all a thumbs up.

Troy and Chad watched from the bleachers, talking about the Gabriella situation.

"You have four weeks till prom.."

"I know."

"And you have to fit in four dates between there too.."

"I know."

"And you're going to fail."

"I kno- No, I'm going to win this bet. Tonight at my party, I bet you a further twenty bucks, she'll say yes to a first date there." Troy smirked.

"Why, you gunna get her drunk or something?" Chad laughed, then stopped once he saw the grin on Troy's face.

"No man, you can't do that!"

"Why not, it's a party, everyone gets drunk!"

"But, what if she doesn't want to drink?" Chad asked, worried about what his best friend was getting himself into.

"Then, she'll just have some punch wont she? And you know what the punch is like in every party.." He smiled.

"Troy, so she's getting drunk, without even wanting to. Troy.. your not going to do anything else to her are you?!"

"God no Chad. That would ruin the whole bet. Besides I'm not like that anyway."

"I know man, just checking." Chad smiled gratefully.

"THAT'S GREAT AMANDA!" Gabriella shouted. "OKAY, READY FOR THE LIFTS, 1,2,3 GO!" And with that two cheerleaders were tossed into the air, and done a full spin and landed into the other cheerleader's arms.

"GREAT JOB GUYS!" Gabriella smiled at her team. She was sure they'd do well in Nationals. Even if it was her first year as captain, she knew what to expect there.

---

"Gabriella, oh my god, you look amazing!" Taylor said as Gabriella walked out of her walk in wardrobe at her house. Gabriella, Taylor and Sharpay were all at Gabi's getting ready for Troy's party.

She was wearing a silver and dark blue striped dress, which was practically covered in glitter and sequins – but it didn't look over the top. It came above the knee, so she wore black tights and silver peep toe shoes.

Taylor was wearing a dark gold dress, which had a few beads and decorations near the left shoulder, and some black heels.

Sharpay was wearing a sleeveless dark silver dress, which had some black sequins around it, and black glittery peep toe shoes.

The three girls grinned at each other, then Gabriella pulled a camera out of her draw.

"Can't start the night without a photo!" She giggled, then put the held the camera in front of them, and clicked the button.

She put the camera down, and then they all headed out, taking Taylor's car, as she lived close to Troy, so would pick it up in the morning.

They arrived outside a huge house, with blasting music coming out of it. Obviously no adult supervision.

Sharpay opened the door slightly, to see a bunch of teenagers dancing in the hallway. Taylor and Gabi followed her through to the kitchen.

"Okay girls, if were sober enough, we'll see each other in Gabi's if not, just crash here or something, got it?" Sharpay instructed, which concluded with Taylor and Gabi nodding.

"Hey!" Troy exclaimed as he and Chad walked through.

"Oh hey Chad." Taylor smiled at him, poured herself a drink then led him back out. Sharpay looked at Gabi and Troy, not wanting to interrupt, she walked off in search for Gregg.

"Glad you could make it." Troy smirked.

"Well, I couldn't miss a Troy Bolton party could I? I heard their the best ones." Gabi winked at him.

"Wanna drink?" Troy asked, grabbing a cup.

"Yeah, sure."

"Punch?"

"I don't mind, surprise me." She laughed.

"Oh, so Gabriella won't mind getting a bit drunk tonight then?" Troy grinned at her.

"Nope, Gabriella wouldn't mind." She smiled.

Troy grinned to himself, maybe this party would change things between them he thought. He grabbed two bottles and handed one to Gabriella, then took her hand and took her into the living room, where the main music was coming from.

Gabriella led him straight to the dance floor, where everyone turned to see who the latest girl Troy Bolton had gotten.

Six bottles, and a few cups of some strange alcohol later, Gabriella was making out with Troy in the corner of the room. She pulled apart and grinned.

"You're a really good kisser." She slurred.

"So it's been said." Troy laughed. He was drunk, but not as drunk as Gabi.

"So, how about I take you on a date soon?" He asked, even though he was drunk, there was no way he could forget about his all important bet.

"Yeah okay, why not?" Gabriella grinned.

"Promise?" Troy asked.

"Promise!"


	4. Last Night’s Regrets

**Hey guys :) Sorry I haven't updated recently, first week back in school so I've been a bit busy x**

**Hope you guys enjoy this chapter, I'm really enjoying writing this atm D.**

**REVIEW! And also on your thoughts on a Nick/Miley fic, as I wanna know if anyone would read it? Anyway, on with the chapter!**

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**Chapter Four – Last Night's Regrets**

Gabriella woke up feeling she had a massive rock on her head. She sat up, and took in her surroundings.

She was lying on a cream sofa, with a blanket wrapped round her, and Sharpay and Gregg were stretched out on the other sofa. There were cups and bottles all over the floor, as well as some cans.

She looked around once again, finally noticing where she was. Troy Bolton's house. She shot up, wondering what had happened last night.

She got up off the sofa, and walked out of the room, and walked into the kitchen, hoping to find an explanation.

As Gabriella walked in, she saw Troy buttering some toast on the kitchen counter.

"What happened last night?" She asked softly, making Troy jump and turn towards her.

"Um, I think you got wasted, and I wouldn't let you go home, as it was like 4am, so I said you and Sharpay could crash here, I'm guessing." He shrugged.

"What about Taylor?"

"She left with Chad."

"Oh, did anything else happen last night?"

"Um you promised you'd go on a date with me.." Troy said smiling.

"What?" Gabriella asked, straightening up.

"I asked you, you said yes, then promised you would." Troy said truthfully.

"I did? Oh my god, I did, I remember now – it was after we were- oh my god." Gabriella whispered, putting her hand to her mouth.

"After we were making out?"

"Oh my god – Troy I was drunk, it didn't mean anything." Gabriella said quickly.

"Oh.. Okay, but you still did promise to go on a date with me."

Gabriella hit her head then sighed. "Fine, I will. But only because I promised. And I never break my promises."

"Great. We can do it when you're feeling better. Toast?" He asked kindly.

"Thanks Troy." She smiled then took the plate off him and headed back to the living room.

"You and Troy, eh?" Sharpay giggled as Gabriella sat back down.

"Nope, just one date – and were back to normal."

"Normal being a game called cat and mouse, controlled by Troy?"

"Cat and mouse?" Gabriella asked confused.

"Yeah, you're the mouse, he's the cat. He's after you Gab." Sharpay smirked.

"How about I drive you guys home?" Troy asked, walking into the room.

Gabriella straightened up immediately and nodded. "That would be great."

"Cool, I'll wait in the car."

Gabriella got up and grabbed her shoes, then motioned for Sharpay and Gregg to follow. She walked out of the door then walked down the drive and got into the front seat.

She took a peak at herself in the mirror then gasped. "Oh my god, I look terrible. How much did I drink last night?!"

"You look beautiful Gabs. Even if you have makeup over your face, or if your hairs everywhere." He said, admirably.

"Uh, thanks Troy – you're obviously used to seeing girls in your house after parties?"

Troy shook his head, "Nah, you're the first I've actually let – usually they just crash here, uninvited. Quite a shock to me in the morning." He laughed.

Sharpay and Gregg slid into the backseat, then Troy started the car then drove off. The first stop was Gregg, then a few streets later, Sharpay's.

"And then there was two." Gabriella grinned.

"So about this date.. How about we set it for tomorrow?" Troy suggested.

"I guess so.. What have you got planned?"

"Hmm.. Well I'll take you out for food – so dress up." He smiled as he pulled up outside Gabriella's house.

"Okay, pick me up at seven." Gabriella winked then walked up to her door, opened it and sneaked in.

"Nice party?" Her mother asked, walking out of the living room.

"Yeah, great – it finished early so I slept over Sharpay's." Gabriella said innocently.

"You girls have a good night?"

"Oh yeah, it was good fun." She nodded.

"Well I was going to baby-sit Lily today, but turns out I have a big meeting to attend – so could you possibly mind her till about four?" Her mother asked.

"Yeah sure." Gabriella nodded then headed upstairs to take a shower.

Lily was her one year old cousin, who was adorable. Gabriella and her mom regularly babysat for her.

Gabriella's phone began to ring, but she let it ring as she enjoyed the hot water pouring from the shower head.

"Hey this is Gabi, sorry I can't take your call right now – leave a message!" Was heard, followed by a beep.

"Hey, Gabi it's me Taylor – how about we go for a walk today? I have so much to tell you – ring me when you get this!"

Gabriella laughed, Taylor obviously had news inquiring herself and Chad. She turned the shower off, quickly dried and walked into her walk in wardrobe. She changed into a cream tunic, and blue skinny jeans. She picked out light flat shoes then ran downstairs as she heard the doorbell go.

She opened the door to see her aunty standing before her with a Lily in her pram. "Thanks' for babysitting her Gabi, I'll pick her up at six – ring me if you need me okay?"

"Sure, see you later!" She called out, then pulled the pram inside. She got her phone out and rang Taylor back.

"Hello?" Taylor answered.

"Hey, it's me. I'm babysitting Lily today – so how about I meet you in the park?"

"Sound's great – I'll meet you there in ten minutes!" Taylor said, then hung up.

Gabriella grabbed her cream bag and threw her phone, purse, lip-gloss and bottle of water into it. She picked up a pink bag which was in the pram, and opened it to see bear crisps, baby food and some juice in there. She nodded then put it back.

"Mom, I'm going to the park with Lily – I'll ring you later!" Gabriella called out, as she opened the door and walked out. She turned left then made her way to the park.

"Hey!" Taylor giggled.

Gabriella smiled at her then sat beside her on the bench. "Spill."

"Well, we were with each other all night, he is so funny. I mean he's kinda like a child, but in a cute way, not in a freaky way. Anyway towards the end, we left together and I ended up in his house – and we both just like made out all night."

"You didn't do anything else did you?"

"No, I wouldn't do that, I've only just met him."

"So, are you seeing each other again?"

"I dunno, we had breakfast together, then I walked to Troy's to get my car then drove home. But I dunno, I feel like this could be more than just a physical relationship." She said happily.

"Good for you! At least someone doesn't regret their night.."

"What happened?"

"Me and Troy were all over each other, all night. And I said yes to a date with him." Gabriella sighed.

"And you regret that?!"

"Yeah, I mean I like him I guess. But I don't wanna lead him on.. I don't think I'm prepared for a relationship with him.. This is Troy Bolton.."

"How about.. Friends with benefits then?" Taylor suggested.

"I'm not being like the rest of the girls on his arms. The rest of the friends with benefits. No way." Gabi said firmly.

"Well, you should give him a chance Gab.. People sometimes don't turn out the way you think they will." Taylor smiled then started tickling Lily.

"Hmm."


	5. Definition Of Love

**I just wanted to say, that Troy and Gabriella will actually get together soon, I didn't want to jump straight into it, I wanted to like, introduce the characters are bit more, but they will get together in about two chapters :).**

**Enjoy the chapter guys! And review xx**

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**Chapter Five – Definition Of Love**

"So, what are you wearing?" Sharpay asked during her, Taylor's and Gabriella's three way call. They were talking about Gabriella's date with Troy.

"This dark red dress, comes up just above the knee – not to formal." Gabriella answered, then done a twirl in the mirror.

"Oh that one! Classy." Taylor complemented.

"So when's he picking you up?"

"In about five minutes."

"Excited?" Sharpay asked.

"Um, I'm not sure – he's a cool guy, but I dunno if I don't want him to think that this date will mean I will go out with him." Gabriella sighed.

"Do you want to go out with him?"

"Gosh, I dunno, I've never been this confused before!"

"Well, just enjoy tonight – I mean its just one date, what's the worse that could happen?"

"Your right Shar. Oh my god, he's here! I'll ring you guys later!"

"Good luck!" Sharpay and Taylor said together before the line went dead. Gabriella did one last check in the mirror, then grabbed her bag and walked downstairs.

"Gabriella, your dates here!" Her mother winked, and then moved aside from the door.

"Uh thanks mom.." She said then opened the door wider to see Troy.

"Wow, you look amazing." He gasped.

"Thanks, you look great too." She smiled sweetly at him, the followed him into his car.

"So what have you got planned?" She asked as he started the car.

"Well the only thing I'm telling you is, were going to a restaurant, the rest you'll have to wait and see." He winked.

"Troy.."

"Gabi, you can complain to me about it tomorrow, just enjoy yourself tonight okay?"

Gabriella nodded, then they both sat in silence the whole way, until Troy parked outside the restaurant.

"Oh my god, how did you get reservations here? This is the most expensive restaurant in town!" Gabriella cried.

"I had to pull a few strings, but I wanted you to remember this date." He smiled then looked her hand and led her inside.

"I hope you haven't got to huge lengths for this date Troy, I mean we are just friends right?" She asked quietly.

"Right, but friends can have a romantic dinner date cant they?" He grinned.

"Of course, I do it with my friends all the time." She said sarcastically.

Troy laughed then walked her to her chair, and pulled it out for her, then walked to the opposite side of the table and sat down.

"Is this where you take all your dates then?"

"Nope, you're the first – your different from the others, I actually really like you." Troy said truthfully, and it was the truth – tonight he decided to forget about the bet.

"Really? You know Troy, first I thought this whole thing was an act, to like date me for a week or so, get me in bed then it was over, but I dunno you seem like a really nice guy."

Troy felt a bang of guilt. He did really like Gabriella, but it wasn't like him to have a serious relationship, even if Gabriella thought now he would.

"Oh, uh really? Uh thanks."

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine!" He smiled.

"Okay.." She said, then picked up the menu and began reading it.

"Pick whatever you want, it's all on me tonight."

"Troy, I can't expect you to do that – I'll pay for myself, its fine."

"Nope, the least I can do is pay for this, I mean you did come on this date after all.."

"Well, I do always keep my promises, and it's turning out to be not that bad." She laughed.

---

"Troy where are you taking me?" Gabriella asked as they got back into the car after their dinner.

"It's a surprise Gabi. Now let me put this on you." Troy said, getting a blindfold out of his pocket.

Gabriella's eyes widen at the blindfold in his hands. "Oh my god, Troy no – you could take me anywhere, oh my god no." She said, panicking he was going to hurt her.

"Gabi, calm down – I want to put this on you, so you don't see the surprise. I promise you, I won't do anything to harm you." He said gently, his eyes full of sincere.

"Okay Troy, I trust you." She said nodding, then let him place the blindfold over her eyes, then drive off.

"Are we nearly there yet?" Gabriella asked, bored.

"Nearly."

After five more minutes of driving, Troy stopped the car and picked Gabriella up.

"Troy! What are you doing!?" She giggled.

"If you feet touch the ground, you'll know where we are." Troy kept hold of her until he reached his destination, he gently let her down on a blanket then took the blindfold off her.

"Wow, its beautiful Troy." Gabriella whispered, looking around at her surroundings. They were at the beach, and Troy had set candles around the blanket, which glowed in the dark night.

"Well I figured, this might be my only date with you – so I should make it kinda special." He shrugged.

"Thanks Troy, for all of this – it means a lot to me." She smiled then hugged him. When she pulled away, he looked up hopefully.

"A friendly hug Troy." She laughed quietly.

"So there's no possibility you'd go on a second date then?"

"Well, I'd never say never – but for now I just think were better off as friends." She said softly, then lay down on the blanket looking up at the bright stars.

Troy sighed to himself then lay down beside her, taking in a gorgeous scent, and the gentle atmosphere that was around her.

"I'm sorry Troy." She whispered, looking up at him.

"For what?" He asked.

"I kind of feel like I'm leading you on, or giving you mixed signals."

"Your not, it's just me thinking I have a chance with everyone." He sighed. He'd never told anybody that.

Gabriella nodded then started rubbing her arms, which didn't go unnoticed by Troy.

"Common, I'll take you home." He said getting up, then holding his hand out for Gabriella – which she gladly took.

The rest of the journey home was spent in silence, the two teenagers occasionally sharing a glance.

"Thanks for tonight, I really enjoyed myself – you're a great guy Troy." She smiled then got out of the car. Troy watched her walk into her house, and sat there for a while thinking about everything.

At first it was all about the bet, didn't care what happened after it, or didn't care about her feelings. Now he was thinking of the real definition of love, and he cared more about her trust and feelings than ever before.

The last thing on his mind was this bet.


	6. Wanting But Not Getting

**I wrote this chapter a while ago, but only today I realized it's actually like One Tree Hill, (what happends in the lesson). I love OTH, so there will be a quite a feq references to it, like the Boy draph etc.**

**Anyway, WIB will be updated tomorrow, but yeah - enjoy the chapter, this one is like more description, and a bit about Gabi's past :)!**

**REVIEW x**

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**Chapter Six – Wanting But Not Getting**

"How was it!?" Sharpay and Taylor asked together as Gabriella walked up to them Monday morning.

"It was.. nice." Gabriella smiled.

"Nice?" Taylor exclaimed.

"Yeah nice, I mean nothing else is going to come of it – me and Troy are just friends."

"You were serious about that, we thought you were just too shy to tell us!" Sharpay said confused.

"Of course I was being serious about it."

"Oh, our bad. So your not picking him for the boy draft?" Taylor asked.

"I have no idea who I'm picking for that – but I can guarantee that Troy Bolton will be first picked." She laughed.

"Well if he is – you know you cant do anything with him for the whole season." Sharpay warned.

Gabriella liked Troy, but she was scared. Scared of getting hurt. Her father left her mother when she was six. Even though it was ten years ago, the memory still stuck in her mind, reminding her of what he mother went through. She didn't want to be a living repeat of that.

"Gabriella..?" Taylor asked, shaking her hand in front of her best friends zoned out face.

"Oh, uh sorry – you were saying?"

"Troy will be out of bounds for you, if someone picks him." Sharpay repeated.

Gabriella nodded. She didn't want another cheerleader to pick him, but she wasn't ready for a relationship with him – what the hell was she supposed to do?

"Well, you've got a few days to think it over anyway." Taylor shrugged then the three of them walked off.

---

"So, how did the big date go?" Chad asked Troy as they both walked into East High together.

"It went good – but she still just wants to be friends." He groaned.

"Ha-ha, that hundred bucks I've bet you altogether, is starting get further and further away from you everyday." Chad laughed.

"Dude, you still owe me twenty though – I did get her to say yes to a first date at my party." Troy pointed out. Chad shook his head then handed him twenty bucks.

Troy thought to himself, he was going to have to step up his game to win this bet. Not only for a hundred bucks, but to actually get Gabriella to want to be more than friends, because right now, he wanted Gabriella more than anything.

"Dude, come on we've got Social Studies." Chad said, then turned round the corner, and walked into the first room. Troy followed him and sat beside him. He looked up to see Gabriella walking in with Sharpay and Taylor, then sitting two rows in front of him.

"Okay class, today were going to be looking at what we want." Mr Stephens called out to the twenty teenagers sitting in front of him.

"I'm going to give you all a sheet of paper – and I want you to write down what you want most at this moment in time, at the end of the lesson – I will read them all out, they will all be strictly confidential." He continued, the walked around the class handing each student a piece of paper.

Troy looked down at his paper, then at Gabriella, then back down to his paper. He picked up his pen and began writing.

Chad smiled to himself, knowing exactly what he wanted, then wrote it down.

Sharpay tapped her pen on the desk, thinking of what to write, she looked down at her clothes then grinned.

Taylor looked back at Chad then smiled to herself, she neatly scribbled her want down.

And then there was Gabriella, deeply confused at what she wanted – she sat there chewing the end at her pen, thinking of something she really wanted right now. She shut her eyes tightly, trying to think – and then it hit her.

After ten minutes, Mr Stephens collected the papers back up and began reading them out.

"I want her to see me as I really am." He read out aloud, resulting in the class looking around apart from Troy.

"I want to win the Championships." Everyone looked at Chad.

"Was I really that obvious?" He asked, confused, making everyone nod.

"I want my designs to be shown in a fashion show."

"I want this relationship to work."

"And lastly we have, I want answers." He read out, then put the paper down.

The class looked around, confused at who would have wrote it – everyone else had made it quite clear of what they had wanted.

"Okay, now were going to write down what's the thing we don't want at the moment." He announced, then re-handed papers back out.

Troy thought about it, he knew exactly what he wanted – but how was he supposed to word what he didn't want?

Chad smiled at Taylor then wrote down exactly what he didn't want at this precise moment in time.

Sharpay wrote down the first thing that popped into her head.

Taylor just wrote down the opposite of her want.

And Gabriella – knew what she didn't want, it was pretty clear.

Mr Stephens returned to his trip around the class, taking the papers back in then began reading them out once again.

"Okay, I don't want to be just friends." Gabriella sighed then turned around to look at Troy, who turned around quickly when he saw her looking at him.

"I don't want Taylor to end our relationship. Well I think its clear who wrote that one." Mr Stephens laughed, as the class once again looked at Chad – who obviously didn't get the concept of the task.

"I don't want to break my foot or anything, while we have the Nationals coming up."

"I don't want this relationship to be a joke to him."

"And finally, I don't want to go through what my mother did, whoa."

Gabriella kept her head down, hoping nobody would notice, but two girls did.

"Okay, well that's it for today's lesson – you may now go to your next lesson." He called out, then the rest of the class exited the room.

"Gab, you'll never go through what your mother went through!" Taylor gasped as they were out of the room, then hugged her.

"How do you know I wont get hurt by Troy? Ever other girl who dates him does!" She exclaimed.

"Yeah, but has he acted this way with every other girl – no." Sharpay said.

---

"You know, Social Studies really changed my opinion on some people, I mean I used to think Gabriella was the girl next door, always happy – but it seems like there's something she's not saying." Troy told Chad, as they sat in the bleachers, watching the cheerleaders practise.

"Yeah, I mean I'm guessing the whole mom thing was hers, I heard Taylor confronting her and hugging her – but what does she mean by it?"

"I know, I want to know if I'm to do with it either.."

"You? What have you done?" Chad asked.

"I don't know – I'm as confused as you are, but this has turned into more than just a simple bet. I don't want her to be getting upset and stuff." Troy said sadly.

Chad nodded. "Well, the boy draft is tomorrow – so we'll see what happens."


	7. Boy Draft Surprises

**I was bored, so thought I would update again :). As I said in the last chapter, there is a few references to One Tree Hill in this story. **

**Im not sure if Im totally happy with this chapter, but yeah. **

**REVIEW xx**

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**Chapter Seven – Boy Draft Surprises**

"Okay! The annual boy draft is this afternoon, during free period – but were here this morning to find out in which order were picking!" Gabriella told the rest of the cheerleaders in their changing rooms.

"Okay, in alphabetical order, we will pick a lip-gloss from the bag, each lip-gloss is numbered. First up, Melanie Adams!"

Melanie smiled nervously to all the girls, then put her hand in the bag, and picked up a cherry lip-gloss, with the number six on it.

"Number six is gone! Next up, Sharpay Evans!"

Sharpay giggled then picked out a lip-gloss with a number three on it.

"Number three is gone! Sarah Harris!"

"If I get number one, girls Troy Bolton is all mine." She smirked, making Gabriella's face glow with envy.

She dipped her hand in the bag, bringing out a lip-gloss with a number two on it.

"Too bad." Gabriella smiled at her, the tension building up. Two names later, and number one was still in the bag, it was Gabriella's turn. Taylor, who picked before her and had a number five, took the bag off Gabi and held it in front of her.

Gabriella slowly put her hand in the bag, fished around, then finally pulled out a lip-gloss revealing a number one.

"Oh my god, Gabi's got number one!" Haley exclaimed.

Gabriella grinned then held the lip-gloss up to show everyone. "This is going to be a really interesting draft."

---

"Troy, Chad!" Zeke called, running up to them. "You never guess what!"

"What?" Chad asked.

"Gabriella's got first pick in the draft!"

"What?! I've got more of a chance of being picked by her now!" Troy grinned.

"Yeah, Sarah got second, and Sharpay got third."

"Sarah got second?! If Gabi doesn't pick me – Sarah will!" Troy cried.

"Why wouldn't Gabi pick you, you've been pretty close recently man.." Zeke said as they grabbed a tray from the pile at Lunch.

"Yeah, but why would she pick me, she's made it clear she just wants to be friends." Troy sighed.

"Well if so.. Sarah's not all that bad.." Chad smiled.

"Yeah, she's just a typical cheerleader.." Troy sighed. "But I don't want that, I want the most unlikely cheerleader ever."

"What, that girl Megan? Dude, she's like not even that hot, and she has like an A in everything." Chad pointed out.

"Okay, so I thought we were on the same lines obviously not.. Chad I was talking about Gabriella!"

"Oh, now that makes more sense." Chad smiled, then the three boys headed to their usual table.

"Hey, what numbers Taylor?" Chad asked Zeke.

"Five." He answered between mouthfuls of a sandwich.

"Cool."

"Aren't you worried you'll get picked by someone else?" Zeke asked.

"Nope, I know my baby will fight for me if she has to." Chad grinned.

---

"Okay, I'll just go over the rules of this draft once more." Gabriella told all the cheerleaders, who once again were reunited in the locker room, waiting to pick their boy.

"The boy you pick, becomes unavailable for the rest of the season, UNLESS you are in a serious relationship with the boy who has been picked. Swaps can only be made on the night of Midnight Madness, but both girls must agree to it. You must also go on at least one date with your chosen boy, during the season. Everybody ready?" She asked.

The girls nodded excitedly, so Gabriella turned the piece of cardboard over, which showed everybody's name, and opposite them was a blank space for the boy's name.

"Okay, I pick.." Gabriella started, then seriously wondered if she should pick Troy. I mean she did say they should just be friends.. But what happened if Sarah picked him? She'd be able to have him the whole season, and that means any hopes of being with Troy were shattered. But did she want to be with him?

"I pick Troy." She finally said, then wrote his name beside hers.

"And the first boy picked is of course, Troy Bolton! Picked by cheerleader Gabriella Montez!" The school news announcer said into his mic, which was being broadcasted into the school cafeteria.

"I pick um, Gregg." Sarah shrugged.

"WHAT!? But, I like Gregg!" Sharpay cried.

"Are you in a serious relationship with him?" Sarah smirked.

"No.."

"Are you in any relationship with him?" She laughed.

"No.. But we have seen each other a lot!" She protested.

"Sorry Shar." Gabriella said softly, her face apologizing in itself.

"Fine, I pick um.. Who's that one who hangs around with Troy and Chad? Zeke! That's the one, I guess I'll pick him." Sharpay shrugged.

"Zeke Baker, picked third by Sharpay Evans!" The announcer said loudly.

---

"Whoa, what!?" Zeke said, looking up quickly.

"Sharpay picked you!" Chad laughed.

"Sharpay!? She's like one of the hottest girls in the school, why the hell did she pick me? I didn't even know she knew me!" He said, still in shock.

Troy laughed to himself. He was happy again now, knowing he still had a chance with Gabriella.

"Fifth pick is Chad Danforth, by of course his girlfriend Taylor! Common people, do a Sharpay – pick someone we totally didn't expect!" The boy's laugh was projected over the whole cafeteria.

"I knew my baby would pick me." He smiled.

"Well it would be pretty messed up if she picked someone else dude." Zeke laughed.

"So, I'm guessing the bet is still on?" Chad grinned at Troy.

"Uh yeah, I guess so. Look guys, I'm gunna go see if I can find Gabriella – I'll see you later." He nodded, then stood up and headed for the girls locker room. He found Gabriella walking out of there, with Taylor and Sharpay.

"Gabi – uh can we talk?" He asked, scratching the back of his neck, an obvious sign to show he was nervous. He really didn't know how to approach this now, would he end up being turned down, again?

"I'll catch you guys up." She told Taylor and Sharpay. They nodded, smiled to themselves then walked ahead, leaving Troy and Gabriella to talk.

"So uh, you picked me.. Does that mean anything?" He asked.

"I dunno. Troy I'm just so confused. I really like you, I really do – but I guess I'm just afraid of letting you in." She confessed.

"Gabriella, I'm not like you thought I was, even if I was like it – I've changed. You've changed me."

"I know, I'm just scared of reliving something I saw happen in the past."

"I can promise you, I'm wont hurt you." He said, taking her hands in his.

She nodded slowly then smiled. "I know Troy."

"So does this mean, you wanna be like together?" He asked awkwardly. He usually knew everything to say to win a girl over, he knew all the right moves. But Gabriella wasn't like the rest of them.

"Yeah, I'd like that." She smiled sweetly, then watched Troy begin to lean in nervously, wondering if she would lean in too. Gabriella smiled to herself and leaned in the rest of the way, and let her lips touch his and kissed him.

Troy lifted his hand to her cheek, broke the kiss then smiled.

"So does this mean were together?" Gabriella asked.

"Well I am yours for the whole season, so it would be stupid not to be." He grinned.

"I've never liked being stupid anyway." Gabriella giggled, then took his hands in hers, and started walking.


	8. Early Morning Pool Party

**Okay I'm not sure I'm happy with this chapter completely as I was bored as my pc is currently like really slow :/ so I thought I'd write a new chapter, but I'm not sure what you guys will think of it, hopefully you'll think its good haha.**

**Anyway I'm not sure how long my pc will be playing up for, hopefully I'll be able to update Where I Belong tomorrow though.**

**Hope you guys are all okay, and thanks for the recent response on chapter 7. **

**Enjoy the chapter, and review x **

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**Chapter 8 – Early Morning Pool Party**

"And then we kissed, and now were together." Gabriella told Sharpay and Taylor, while they slept over Taylor's.

"Oh my god that's so cute!" Sharpay said while clapping her hands together.

"Anyway, what are you going to do about the whole Sarah picking Gregg thing?" Gabi asked.

"There's nothing I can do, Sarah picked him. And I guess I've just gotta go on a date with this Zeke person, nothing else." Sharpay sighed.

"But maybe you could swap on Midnight Madness, that's only like two weeks away, right?" Taylor suggested.

"Right. You could blackmail Sarah into something – or I could get Troy to talk to her."

"I guess your right.." Sharpay nodded, then jumped as Gabriella's phone went.

"Hey!" Gabi answered happily.

"Hey babe, wanna hang out?" Troy asked.

"It's ten to one Troy – why are you still up?"

"I couldn't stop thinking about you. And I have Chad and Zeke here who have no idea how to shut up."

Gabriella laughed, "How come you've got those over?"

"Well we've got the big game tomorrow, and were training early – and there's no way Chad will get himself up, and we invited Zeke as his parents are out of town, and his car is getting fixed." He explained.

"Oh right, but I cant Troy – I'm over Taylor's with Sharpay, you know her mum wouldn't let us out at this time."

"You could sneak out.."

"Yeah.. We could. Okay we'll meet you outside by house in about thirty minutes?" She asked.

"Sounds great – but make sure you bring a bikini." He added, then hung up.

"What did he want?" Taylor asked.

"Us to go over his." Gabi said sweetly.

"What!? Gab – my mom will freak!"

"We can sneak out.. We'll be back before you know it!"

"Sounds good to me." Sharpay shrugged.

"Fine, we'll go – but were going to have to climb out of the window.." Taylor said quietly.

Gabriella smirked, then nodded. "Oh, and Troy says we'll need bikinis."

"Bikinis?! Gabi it's freezing outside!" Sharpay cried.

"Troy has a heated pool." Taylor pointed out.

"Works for me!"

Taylor give Sharpay and Gabriella her spare bikinis, then all three of them changed into them, then put some clothes on over them.

Sharpay quietly attempted opening the window, which wasn't budging.

"Sharpay, you need a key! It only opens from the inside, with this key." Taylor hissed, handing Sharpay a small silver key.

Sharpay nodded, then quickly opened it, slid through it and jumped onto the roof. Shortly after Gabriella and Taylor followed her.

"Any ideas how to get down from here?" Gabriella asked.

"Okay, were going to have to jump from here onto my trampoline, it's in the garden." Taylor told the girls, then they walked over to the other side of the roof, and looked down.

"So were pretty high up.." Sharpay whispered.

Taylor slowly nodded, took a deep breath then jumped, heading exactly for the 'X' on the trampoline. She landed on it, bounced a few times then jumped off onto the grass.

"And she sticks the landing." She grinned, then looked back up, motioning for Gabriella to jump.

"Okay, okay." She reassured herself, then like Taylor jumped onto the trampoline, then slid off happily.

Sharpay looked down at the two girls on the grass, then back up. She shut her eyes tight, then jumped. She completely missed the trampoline, and landed in a blue paddling pool, which was filled with cold water.

"OH MY GOD!" She screamed, then quickly got up, trying to shake the wetness off her.

Gabriella and Taylor burst out laughing, at the sight of seeing their best friend jump off a roof into a paddling pool.

"Let's just go." Sharpay muttered.

---

Thirty minutes later, and the girls were sneaking around the side of Troy's house, to meet the guys by the pool.

"Hey." Troy said softly, as Gabriella walked up to him and hugged him.

"So, what do you wanna do?" She asked, interlacing her fingers with his.

"I was thinking maybe an early hour swim?" He grinned, then took his top off, and jumped into the pool.

"Hmm.. I don't know Troy." She smirked.

Troy climbed back out, and picked up Gabriella.

"NO TROY, DON'T!" She cried, making Troy laugh then gently put her back down. Gabriella took her top and trousers off, to reveal a black bikini.

"I should invite you round to come swimming more often."

Gabriella hit his shoulder, then dived in, making him jump in after her.

"So uh, I'm Zeke – the one you picked for the draft." Zeke said nervously.

"Sharpay." She nodded, then shook his hand.

"Wow your freezing, wanna sit down?" He asked, noticing how cold her hands were.

"Uh yeah, okay." She smiled, then they both headed towards the sun loungers, then sat down. Zeke took his hoodie off then put it next to Sharpay.

"What's this?" She asked, obviously knowing what it was, but unaware why he had put it next to her.

"You can wear it, I'm not that cold – but your freezing." He smiled softly. Sharpay looked at him for a while, then eventually picked it up and put it on.

"Thanks." She nodded, then sat back.

---

"Hey, how about a game of water volleyball?" Troy suggested.

"Sure." Taylor nodded, then Troy and Chad got out of the pool and set the nets up.

"Boys against girls?" Chad suggested.

"Only if you want to lose." Sharpay laughed.

"I'm going to take you up on that challenge." He grinned, then jumped back in, with the ball.

Once everyone was on the right side of the net, Chad threw the ball up into the air and pounded it over the net, making it land between Sharpay and Taylor, splashing all over their faces.

"Thanks baby." Taylor said sarcastically.

"Okay, this ones mine." Sharpay said happily, picking up the ball then tossing it into the air. She hit it hard, aiming for a space in the pool, but ended up hitting Zeke full force in the head. He fell back a little, underwater but rose back up.

"Oh my god! I am so sorry!" She cried, swimming over to make sure he was okay.

"It's fine." He said, rubbing his head.

"No its not, I wasn't aiming for you – I promise, it just sorta ended up flying that way, if you get me?" She rambled on.

"Sharpay, its fine." He repeated, then laughed at the fact how she was still apologizing.

"Anyway, I'm really sorry – are you sure you're okay?" She asked once more.

"Yeah, it was just a little bang on the head." He smiled. Sharpay nodded, then swam back over to her team's side, where her team mates straight away started questioning her.

"So what's going on between you and Zeke?" Gabriella asked, swimming over to her.

"Nothing? Why would there be anything?" Sharpay asked confused.

"I dunno, you seem to be getting along pretty well.." Taylor giggled.

"I get on with Chad well too, doesn't mean I'm in love with him does it?" Sharpay smirked.

"Oh my god, your not are you? I really don't want things to get awkward.." Taylor whispered.

Sharpay rolled her eyes then give Gabriella the ball, to hit. She threw it up in the air, and hit it, making Troy reach for it and hit back. Taylor jumped into the air, and hit it one last time before it landed just behind the net.

Chad grinned then dived under the water, and swam under the net, then picked Taylor up and threw her underwater too. After seeing this, everyone began splashing each other and throwing each other everywhere.

"AND WHAT IS THIS?" Troy's father shouted at the six teenagers, messing about in his pool.

"Oh uh, dad – I can explain!" Troy started.

"Oh really? You can explain why there are three girls in our pool, and why you three boys are in there with them – WHEN YOU SHOULD BE IN BED?!"

"I um-"

"That's what I thought. Boys, there is a big game tomorrow! How could you be so stupid! Now get back up stairs now, and girls whoever you are – go home." He told them firmly, then walked back into the house.


	9. Nearly Birthday Girl

**Hey guys, sorry I haven't updated in a bit, I was ill last week, and then on the weekend I went out for meal for my birthday, which is Monday. I've decided to add Gabriella's birthday in now too, haha.**

**Hopefully, I'll update tomorrow - if I'm not too busy.**

**Hope you guys are all okay, and enjoy the chapter!**

**Love Rhia x**

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**Chapter 9 – Nearly Birthday Girl**

"How embarrassing!" Gabriella cried, as she Taylor and Sharpay walked up to Taylor's door.

"Yeah, it wasn't exactly the best boyfriends father meet and greet.." Taylor smirked.

As they reached the door, Sharpay tried the door handle. "It's locked." She said, stating the obvious

"Crap – I forgot to take my key!" Taylor hissed, searching through her pockets.

"We'll have to go back the way he came out.." Gabriella said quietly.

"Oh there is no way you are getting me back on that roof!" Sharpay told them both firmly.

---

"A few more climbs Sharpay!" Gabriella whispered, holding her phone light over Sharpay as she climbed the rosebush, trying to get back onto the roof.

"I can't carry on, all my energy is lost." She sighed, trying to lift her feet up to the next branch.

"Come on Sharpay, you watched us do it – you can totally do this!" Taylor told her.

"Oh my god! There's a moth in your hair!" Gabriella cried, making Sharpay scream and let go of the rosebush, falling back into the paddling pool, as done earlier.

Taylor and Gabriella burst out laughing again, each trying to cover each others mouth to block out the noise.

"This is so not my day." Sharpay muttered.

"Shar, we'll go inside, and I'll find some rope or something – stay down there a sec!" Taylor shouted, then went to open her window, then realized something.

"It only opens from the inside.." She said to herself quietly.

Gabriella span around, hearing exactly what her best friend had just said. "Oh you are not serious?"

"Yeah – how the hell are we going to get inside now!?" Taylor whispered, panicking at the thought of her mother catching them out at this time.

Just then, her bedroom light was switched on, and a shadow appeared. Taylor and Gabriella ducked down, hoping Taylor's mother would just leave the room and go back to sleep.

No such luck. She opened the window from the inside, and nearly fainted to see who was outside.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING OUTSIDE AT THIS TIME!?" She screamed at the two girls kneeling on the roof.

"Mom – I can explain – we came out for some fresh air, and got locked out!"

"And where is Sharpay!?"

"I'm down here Ms, Mckessie!" She called up, still squeezing her clothes dry. Sharpay looked up quickly, not taking any notice of what she just said and froze.

"Woops. Maybe it would have been easier to just climb back up.. Wouldn't have been so obvious we had gone out somewhere then." She told herself, then hit her head.

"You two – inside now, Sharpay I'll go open the front door for you – and we'll all talk about this in the morning." She told them firmly, then opened the window wider, and walked out of Taylor's bedroom.

---

"So I was in so much trouble." Gabriella told Troy as went jogging together.

"Me too – my dad started the whole responsibility talk and telling me I should get my priorities right."

"Harsh. My mom was just like using the full name, and telling me she was deeply disappointed – and how she's not grounding me, as she'll think I might rebel – but she is disappointed."

"You're not grounded?!" Troy cried. "I am, apart from going on jogs, or anything to do with sports."

"I'd rather be grounded, than lose my moms trust – were pretty close y'know?"

"Yeah me and my mom are close too. I mean me and my dad are too, but sometimes he just pushes me so hard, all the love and admire I have for him, just disappears." He said sadly.

"Wow. Have you ever tried talking about this with your dad?" Gabriella asked, then began walking.

"I guess so – I mean my mom tells him all the time, but he thinks he's just encouraging me – but whatever, he's making me a better basketball player right?"

"But I don't think he's making you any better of a person." Gabriella pointed out, resulting in Troy nodding, then thinking about what she said while they both walked back to Gabriella's.

"You wanna come in?" She asked as they reached her door.

"Nah, I'm grounded remember? Their most probably wondering where I am already – anyway I'll see you tomorrow Gabs." He told her, then kissed her on the cheek and jogged back.

Gabriella smiled to herself softly, then let herself in. "Mom?" She called out, wondering if she was home or not.

"In the kitchen!" Her mom answered.

Gabriella followed the voice into the blue and white kitchen, then sat on one of the stools.

"So, are we talking?" Gabriella tried.

"Of course we are hun – but I'm still disappointed in you, I thought you would know better."

Gabriella sighed. "Mom, do you ever think there isn't a real definition of love? Like everyone has their own meaning of it?"

"Of course sweetie. No one can tell you what love is, because everyone experiences it differently. People feel different inside – and you cant explain the same feeling for everyone. Why, is something bothering you?" Her mother asked gently, sitting opposite her daughter.

"No not really, I just always wondered – what to look out for, or what to feel, but I guess it'll just come naturally. But how am I supposed to know, what I feel – is love?"

"Because it's the strongest feeling in your body. When you do find love, its like an eternal flame has been lit in your heart – and you'll know when it happens, trust me."

"Thanks mom, and I'm sorry again for sneaking out of Taylor's house." Gabriella said sincerely.

"I know you are Gabi – I know you are." Her mother nodded.

"Well I've got to catch up on some homework, bye mom." Gabriella said softly, then walked up stairs, then into her room.

--

TWO WEEKS LATER.

Gabriella threw on a white tank top, a cherry coloured smock cardigan, and some skinny jeans, grabbed her bag then headed off for school.

As she pulled up, Troy was leaning against his car, grinning.

"Hey you." She smiled, closing the car door behind her.

"Hey yourself – nearly birthday girl." Troy smiled, then took her hand in his, and started walking.

"How did you know it was nearly my birthday?" She asked.

"I have my sources Gabs – anyway, I'm thinking like, a huge house party?" Troy suggested.

"Sounds good.. But I was looking forward to nice night in.."

"Oh, well I suppose I good arrange that too." He shrugged.

"Oh my god! Hey nearly birthday girl and nearly birthday girls boyfriend!" Sharpay said happily, skipping up beside the couple.

"Hey blonde haired, pink clothed friend of my nearly birthday girl girlfriend." Troy laughed.

"So I was thinking – a big slumber party, with like all the cheerleaders – at my house." Sharpay said excitedly, clapping her hands together.

"Uh, I don't mind – look I've got to go find the janitor to ask about the gym, you guys discuss this, and tell me later." Gabriella said, then rushed off down the hallway.

"I thought we could have had a huge party at my house?" Troy told Sharpay as they walked to her locker.

"Hmm.. I have an idea – how about if we could fit everything in – like the ultimate birthday weekend!"

"Birthday weekend?" He asked, confused.

"Yeah, well her birthdays Saturday – so on Friday, we'll have the slumber party, and on Saturday will be the big house party, and then on Sunday you could take her out for a cute romantic meal."

"I like it." Troy agreed, nodding.


	10. The Ultimate Birthday Weekend

**This chapter is basically a filler, atm with this story I dont want to do much drama, as I like writing just normalness with this, as it makes it more real - but there of course you can guess what the drama will be, if not I wont tell you haha.**

**So yeah its my birthday today, I've had a great day, but as a treat to you I'd thought I'd update D. **

**REVIEW x**

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**Chapter 10 – The Ultimate Birthday Weekend**

Gabriella parked her car in Sharpay's driveway, got out, then picked her bags up and headed to the front door. This was the first part of as Sharpay called it, the Ultimate Birthday Weekend.

She knocked on the door slowly, wondering what was going on behind the closed door. Knowing Sharpay, it was something big and pink.

Sharpay opened the door slowly, to reveal a huge banner saying 'HAPPY NEARLY BIRTHDAY GABI!' and all the cheerleaders dressed in the same pink pyjamas, with pink tiaras on.

"Whoa." Gabriella gasped, walking in to the huge house.

"Hey nearly birthday girl!" Sharpay giggled, then handed Gabriella her own pair of the pink pyjamas, then put a pink crown on her head.

"You did all this for me?" Gabriella asked softly.

"Heck yeah!" Taylor grinned, and then motioned for Gabriella to go change into her pyjamas.

Once she had put on her matching pink pyjamas, and her crown on (which she took back off after five minutes) the girls settled down in Sharpay's living room.

"Where are you parents?" Gabi asked.

"Oh, their gone away for their anniversary." Sharpay shrugged, the sat down beside her.

"Anyway, so what's going on with you and Zeke?" Amanda asked Sharpay as she passed the popcorn round.

"Nothing?" Sharpay answered. She wasn't prepared to admit she kinda liked him. I mean he was funny, kind, caring, and cute. But she didn't want everyone else knowing that – as Zeke wasn't the most popular of guys, even though he did hang round with them.

"Nothing? Oh come on Sharpay – you guys have been flirting all the time, and you did pick him for the draft after all.." Taylor reminded her.

"He's pretty cool I guess, but that's just as far as it goes." Sharpay told them firmly, wanting to get off the subject as quickly as possible.

"Okay.. So how are you and Troy?!" Hayley asked Gabriella excitedly.

"Great – things are going absolutely great." Gabriella nodded happily.

"We are so happy for you Gabi – you totally deserve a nice guy like Troy." Emily added in.

"Ahuh, and who would have known he'd become such a nice guy? I mean he used to be a jerk." Taylor said.

"I know, I surprised too, but I'm really proud of him – he's made himself such a better person." Gabriella said admirably.

"Stop – your making me jealous, I want a great boyfriend!" Katie laughed.

"Hey – guys you'll find one, maybe sooner, maybe later, but everyone's got that special someone out there, right Sharpay?" Gabriella said, nudging her best friend, who seemed totally spaced out.

"What? Oh right – yeah, he's out there alright."

---

Troy Zeke and Chad were playing on Chad's Xbox, over at Chad's house, as all the girls were over Sharpay's – and they were all extremely bored.

"So this would be you and Gabi's third date." Chad said to Troy.

"Yep, our third one this Sunday."

"All you have to do is have another date after that – and get her to go to prom with you, and you win the bet." Chad grinned.

"Dude, it's obvious I'm going to win – I'm with Gabi now." Troy smirked.

"So what is this, all for the bet, or do you actually like her?" Zeke asked, worried Troy would do something stupid.

"Oh no, I really really like Gabi – I've fallen for her, I tell you. The bet isn't really important, but hey, I'm not going to turn down an easy hundred dollars." He laughed.

"What if she finds out – I don't think she'd be too happy Troy.." Zeke warned him.

"Yeah, but she's not going to find out is she? Gabi means the world to me, seriously and the last thing I'd want to do is hurt her, so this little bet is just between you, me and Mr. I lose every game over there." Troy said, pointing to Chad who once again was throwing the controller around as he had lost.

"So how many are coming to this party?" Chad asked, while he loaded up a new game.

"Hmm, like the whole school – my parents are out of town for my dad's cousins wedding, so they won't have a clue."

"Is Sharpay going?" Zeke asked hopeful.

"She'll be there Zeke. But what is it with you and her? Every time you're together you're always smiling and getting on really well."

"Yeah man, you should totally go for it – Sharpay's hot." Chad laughed.

"Dude, you're with Taylor." Troy reminded him.

"I know man and she is the best girlfriend ever, but you can't deny Sharpay is hot." Chad shrugged, then sat back.

"I do like her guys – but this is Sharpay Evans, like the richest girl in school, she goes for the hottest guys and that. Why the hell would she go for me?" Zeke asked sadly.

"Cos you make an awesome meatball sandwich?" Chad suggested.

"Oh yeah, she'd really be impressed by that." Zeke said sarcastically.

"Just give her a chance Zeke, weirder things have happened." Troy smiled.

---

"If you wannabe my lover!" Gabriella sang as she and the rest of the girls at the sleepover, danced to the loud music.

After they'd dance to nearly every CD Sharpay owned, she turned the music off and sat back against the sofa.

"Ready for a DVD?" She asked everyone, which resulted in everyone nodding, and sitting down.

Gabriella refilled the bowls of chocolate, sweets and popcorn and laid them out in front of everyone, then took her place against the sofa, next to Taylor and Sharpay.

"What are we watching?" She asked, getting comfy.

"Mean Girls." Sharpay said happily, then pressed play on the DVD remote.

Once the film ended, Taylor noticed, that some of the girls, including Sharpay, had fallen to sleep. So Taylor, not being one to miss an opportunity like this, ran over to the table and picked up a pen and quietly sneaked back.

"What are you doing?" Gabi asked, stretching.

"What's it looking like I'm doing?" Taylor smirked, then took the lid off the pen and gently began writing over Sharpay's face.

Gabriella slowly got up, then looked over Taylor's shoulder to see what she was writing.

**I 3 ZEKE .. So true!**

**Taylor is the best friend ever, no jokes.**

Gabriella smirked then stole the pen off Taylor.

**So no true! I love Gabriella more than Taylor!**

Taylor snatched the pen back and scribbled it out, resulting in Gabriella trying to get the pen back, put ended up tripping over her own feet and landing on Sharpay.

Sharpay jumped up quickly, then inspected the two innocent looking girls in front of her.

"What's going on?" She asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Oh uh nothing, you know the usual." Taylor shrugged.

"Is that my pen?" Sharpay pointed to the pointy end of it, poking out of her sleeve.

"No!" She answered quickly, then moved it slightly up.

"Oh right, well I'll be back now – I need to pee." Sharpay told them, then jumped up and walked out of the room.

"Oh she is so going to find out." Gabriella laughed.

"Well she can't do anything to us if were asleep.." Taylor giggled.

"Your right. Night!" Gabi said happily, then lowered herself onto the floor, and pulled one of the many duvets over her body, and softly started to drift off to sleep until.

"OH YOU GIRLS ARE SO DEAD!" Sharpay screamed from the bathroom.

Taylor and Gabriella laughed, turned around and tried to go back to sleep, to avoid Sharpay lecturing them about writing on her while she was sleeping.


	11. Fun In The Sun

**Sorry for the delay on uploading this, I've been quite busy this week x**

**Anyway hope you guys enjoy this chapter, REVIEW!**

**R xo.**

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**Chapter 11 – Fun In The Sun**

"_Zeke!" Sharpay shouted, from across the room. She was already a bit tipsy and had only been at Troy's house for half an hour._

"_Oh hey Sharpay, you okay?" He asked her, concerned at the way she was acting._

"_I'm fine – wait hold on there." Sharpay said, getting her phone out of her pocket and answering it._

_Zeke nodded, and then walked off into the kitchen to get himself a drink. He was dying to ask Sharpay to dance, but didn't really know how, so maybe the drink would make a bit more sociable._

_He gulped down three quarters of the bottle, and then rushed back to big lounge, where all the music was coming from. He just made it back in time to see Sharpay get off the phone._

"_Sorry about that." She grinned._

_  
Zeke took a deep breath then began looking around. "Uh so you wanna dance?" He asked._

"_Sure!" Sharpay giggled._

---

Sharpay woke up on her bathrooms floor the next morning, and sighed. "What the hell happened last night?"

She got up and took a glance in the mirror. Her hair was all over the place, most of her make up was off, and she smelt of alcohol. She smoothed her dress down, then got her phone out to call the one person she remembered being with.

"Sharpay?" Zeke asked, confused at why she would be calling him.

"Uh hey, I just woke up – and I don't have a clue what happened last night, and I remember being with you, so uh, did I do anything stupid?" She asked.

"Not that I know of – but I was pretty wasted myself."

"You were?!" Sharpay asked, shocked at the fact Zeke was drinking.

"Yeah, but I remember being with you most of the night, so I'm guessing nothing bad happened."

"Oh, right well I was just checking – I'll uh, see you in school." She said, then hung up.

---

"_Where's Sharpay?" Gabriella asked Taylor, as she walked into the kitchen._

"_I last saw her with Zeke." Taylor answered, taking a sip of her bottle, then turning back to Chad._

"_Hey birthday girl." Troy said, coming up behind Gabriella and wrapping his hands around her waist._

_  
"Hey boyfriend." She giggled, then turned around for Troy to kiss her on the nose._

"_Wait there, I'll get us both some drinks, and then we can go into the lounge." Troy told her, leaving her go, then heading over to the table, filled with bottles, glasses and cans._

_He returned shortly with two bottles, then led him into his lounge where the both headed straight to the 'dance floor' and began dancing._

---

Gabriella woke up slowly, to the sound of her mother calling her from downstairs.

"Mm?" She answered loudly, stretching.

"Troy's here!" Her mother shouted up.

"Send him up mom!" Gabriella told her, then stood up to see what she was looking like. Not so good.

She heard Troy jog up the stairs, then knock on her bedroom door.

"Come in." She answered, rubbing her eyes.

"Hey Gabs – whoa, I would ask what happened to you last night, but I doubt you remember anyway." He chuckled.

"Ha-ha and I suppose you do know what happened?" She asked him, smirking.

"Oh come on, you so know the answer. I don't have a clue what happened last night." He grinned. "From what I heard though, it was a great party."

"From what I remember, which is only about the first hour – it was." She smiled.

"So, its 1pm – and I'm here to pick you up for our date."

"Our date? Troy I thought it would be about five?" Gabriella asked, shocked.

"Nope. But you have nothing to worry about – were not going out for food, were going to the beach."

"Your taking me on a date, to the beach?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Yep, we can spend the day there, relaxing, trying to get over our hangovers – then when it gets a bit dark, I've got something else planned." Troy grinned.

"Okay.. What do I need to pack?"

"Well, I'd wear your bikini under your clothes, then just bring some spare warm ones for later." He told her. Gabriella nodded, then quickly headed in the shower to refresh herself.

Once she had come out, she brushed her curly hair, tied it up, and put some lip-gloss on. She changed into her white bikini, then put a denim mini skirt and a coral coloured tank top over them.

She walked out of her on suite to find a very impressed looking Troy.

"You scrub up well." He laughed.

"Hey!" She hit him on the shoulder as she walked past him, and grabbed the big black sunglasses on her dressing table.

"No but Gab, you look amazing without make up on. Well you look amazing with or without. But you do actually look like you had a really good sleep last night." He smiled.

"Thanks – maybe you'll look that way a bit later on." She laughed, then poked his tongue out to him.

"Oh really?" He grinned, then got up and began chasing her around the room. Once he'd caught her, her picked her up and gently set her on the bed and began tickling her.

"Fine! Fine, okay! You look gorgeous – as usual!" She got out between giggles.

"Now that's what I'm talking about." He smirked, then held his hand out to help her up, which she gladly took.

Gabriella brushed down her clothes, then grabbed a big beach bag, where she put her sunscreen, spare clothes, her phone and her purse into it, then grabbed Troy's hand and led him downstairs.

"Mom – I'm going to the beach with Troy, I wont be back till late!" She called out.

"Okay sweetie! You have a good time now, and don't forget to put sunscreen on!" She reminded her daughter.

"I wont! Love you!" She called out once more, before she and Troy walked outside and got into Troy's car.

The drive to the beach was just spent talking about Nationals. Gabriella and the cheerleading squad would be travelling with the basketball team, to compete in the finals, and the basketball team were also in the finals of a big championship.

"I cannot wait – it is going to be the best weekend ever!" Gabriella gushed.

"Uhuh, and the best part is, my dad doesn't arrive till Sunday morning, and the games Sunday afternoon, so that means I get to spend nearly the whole weekend with you."

"Really? Whose the chaperones?" She asked, as Troy parked the car.

"Well the assistant coach will be there, along with Ms Burton, the dopey Social Studies teacher." Troy grinned.

"Oh, and Ms Walters, our PE supervisor, and my mom and that will be driving up Saturday to see us cheerlead." Gabi added.

They both got out of the car, taking their stuff with them and began walking along the beach to find a nice spot.

"Cool. How's the dance coming along?" Troy asked as he dropped his bag on the sand, and got out a towel then lay down it, then Gabriella doing the same.

"It's going really well – we've nearly perfected it." Gabriella said proudly.

"Great – well you still have a week to perfect it a bit more." Troy told her, getting out her sunscreen then began applying it to her back.

"So uh, were going to prom together, right?" Gabriella asked. She knew they were together and all, but did that mean it was expected for them to go to prom together.

"Unless you've found someone else to go with.. Yeah." Troy laughed, then handed Gabriella the sunscreen so she could it put it on his back.

"Oh no, I haven't – I was just wondering, cos we haven't talked about it or nothing." She reassured him.

"Well it's what, in about three weeks now? We'll get like, a limo and Taylor, Chad and Zeke and Sharpay can come in it too."

"You think Sharpay and Zeke would go together?" Gabriella asked, putting the lid back on the bottle then putting it back in her bag.

"I don't see why not – he's liked her forever." Troy shrugged.

"I guess it would be pretty cute if they did go together." Gabriella nodded, then lay back against Troy.

Troy lifted his arms up, and wrapped them round her waist, then kissed her head softly.

"I better not get tan lines where your arms are." Gabriella giggled, then lifted her head up and kissed him gently on the lips.

"Hey, just say they are Troy Bolton tan lines – everyone will want them then." He said modestly.

"Well everyone will have to wait until I'm done with you.. and I don't think that's going to be anytime soon." She smiled.


	12. Fallen For You

**I had no idea where to go with this chapter, so I just started typing and went from there, so sorry if its a bit boring. I'm off now untill the 18th, so expect a few more updates for both of my stories hopefully :**

**I'm also thinking of uploading a new story, but not a HSM one as I kinda want a take a break from making new ones of those, as I have about 6 HSM. I'm thinking Hannah Montana - Niley? Opinions please, and would you read it?**

**Hope you enjoy the chapter guys, and please review - I havent been getting much recently for this story :(**

**Rhia x**

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**Chapter 12 – Fallen For You**

"So where are you taking me for dinner?" Gabriella asked, getting up and beginning to brush the sand off her body.

"Nowhere." Troy smirked.

"I thought you were taking me on a date?" She asked, confused.

"I am."

"Then where are we going?"

"Nowhere." Troy repeated.

"Were staying here?"

"Yeah. Gab I can take you out to restaurants any day of the week, but were here, the suns going to set, and I thought you'd like it.." Troy told her, getting worried she thought it was a terrible idea.

Gabriella sat down beside him and laid her head onto his shoulder. "It's perfect." She said softly.

"Oh good." He sighed of relief. "I thought you were going to hate it for a second there."

Troy gently shifted to the side, and picked up the basket which was under his coat. "Okay, now I put together some of your favourite things, for your little birthday meal." He grinned.

---

Half an hour later, they'd both finished eating and were now lying beside each other, looking up at the stars.

"Thanks for the best birthday weekend ever." Gabi whispered.

"Hey, it was Sharpay's idea."

"Okay, then thanks for today, and last night." She giggled, then snuggled up closed to Troy.

A comfortable silence followed what Gabriella said, while Troy put his arm around her, but knew something was up.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked softly.

"Us." She answered, not sure whether to do into depth about it.

"Anything in particular about us?"

"Do you ever think Troy, about the future, and who you want to be in it?" She asked, sitting up.

"Sure I do – have you met my dad? Gabi I have to think about the future everyday." He laughed.

"I know, but like do you ever think the people in your life now, if they'll still be in it?"

"I guess so. I'm hoping you'll still be in my life in the future."

"Well that's what I was thinking about – us in the future. Do you think its weird thinking about stuff like that, I mean we haven't been going out long.." Gabriella said, worried Troy would think she's too forward.

"No its not weird, if you feel strongly about someone, you can't help thinking what the future will be like, or thinking about the future of the relationship." Troy reassured her.

"Do you think we'll be together in the future?" Gabriella asked, hoping she wasn't pushing the subject too much. She just needed to know if he felt the same way she did.

"Personally, yeah it could happen. I hope so, because I really like you a lot Gab. Truth is I have definitely not felt this way before, it kinda freaks me out how much I like you sometimes, but hey it's a nice type of freak out." He grinned.

"I feel the same way. I mean I'm still shocked over how amazing you are, when I used to think so differently of you. Thanks for continuing to fight for me Troy – I wouldn't have got to experience this otherwise."

They both laid back down onto the towel which was lying on the sand, then Gabriella lifted her head and gently set it on Troy's chest, listening to his breathing.

"Why didn't you give up on me?" She asked, drawing circles on his stomach.

Troy laid there for a while, wondering how to answer it. Of course some of it had to do with the all important bet, but he enjoyed fighting for her, as he had fallen for her. He decided against telling her about the bet, he just wanted to put it all behind him.

"I'd fallen for you, and this is the first time it's happened to me – so I thought, well this means something, and I'm not giving up on it." He said, playing with Gabriella's soft, long brunette hair.

"I think I've fallen for you too." She whispered.

---

"Thanks for the amazing day Troy – it was perfect." Gabriella said happily, grabbing her bags then kissing Troy softly on the lips then getting out of his car.

"I'll see you tomorrow Gab." He told her, then waited until she got into her house, then drove off.

"I'm home!" Gabriella called out, then started walking towards the stairs.

"Have a good time sweetie?" Her mom asked, coming out of the living room.

"Yeah, it was fun – well I'm going to take a shower and head to bed or something, night mom." Gabriella said sweetly, then rushed upstairs, and into the shower.

Once all the sand was out of her hair, she jumped out, dried her hair then changed into a white tank top and some orange pyjama bottoms.

As she began brushing her hair, her phone began ringing. She picked it up, and looked at the called ID. Right on cue.

"Hey Shar." Gabriella laughed, knowing either Sharpay or Taylor would call to get the news off the last part of 'The Ultimate Birthday Weekend'.

"So.. How was it?" Sharpay squealed.

"Perfect." Gabriella smiled.

"Oh my god, you are so in love with him."

"How do you do that?!" Gabriella asked her.

"Gabi, I'm your best friend – there's not much I don't know." Sharpay giggled.

"Okay so maybe I'm a bit in love with him.. But how can this even be real? We haven't been with each other long enough – only about a month."

"Hey, some people's feelings develop fast if there's a real connection between them both." Sharpay told her.

"I still don't think I'm in love with him, but I do really really like him." Gabriella gushed.

"You two are so cute together!"

"So speaking of cute, how are you and baker boy?" Gabriella laughed.

"I can't believe you just called him that, that is so mean."

"Sharpay, you made up that nickname last week – you are so totally crushing on him."

"Oh my god, I am so totally not!" She protested.

"Sharpay, its fine to like him – I mean okay nobody would have thought it, but you may as well admit it – you're stuck with him for the rest of the season."

"I guess your right." She sighed. "I like him. But he wouldn't like me, I didn't even recognize him that much before I picked him, he must have thought I was so mean the way I acted like he was my last choice."

"He wouldn't have thought that – everyone knows your usual type, so it's expected, but you can still make things work. I know for a fact Zeke likes you – and has since the start of the year."

"He does..?"

"He does." Gabriella giggled.

"Well I'll sleep on it – night Gabs, and thanks for getting it out of me, I kinda needed to confront my feelings." Sharpay told her kindly, then hung up.

"Sharpay and Zeke." Sharpay whispered, walking over to her king-size bed.

"Sharpay and Zeke." She repeated, thinking about a possible relationship between them.

"Maybe so."


	13. Hate Her And Helmet Hair

**The chapters coming up will just be about having fun and just fillers really, as I want to concentrate on their relationship basically before I do any big drama.**

**REVIEW! x**

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**Chapter 13 – Hate Her And Helmet Hair**

One week later, and Taylor and Gabriella were sitting in Sharpay's car, driving to the Cheerleading Nationals/Basketball Championships.

"Why couldn't we take the school bus again?" Taylor asked from the backseat of Sharpay's convertible.

"Because Sharpay obviously doesn't know the meaning of packing light." Gabriella said, rolling her eyes.

"Hey! I did pack light – two suitcases and a bag is light for a weekend." Sharpay protested.

"How many times are you thinking of changing – every hour?" Taylor laughed.

"Every two actually." She corrected.

Taylor and Gabriella looked at each other, their eyes widening.

"Joke?" Sharpay said as she saw how shocked the two of them were.

---

"So why are we driving again?" Chad asked Zeke and Troy.

"So I don't have to ride back home with my dad." Troy told him.

"Oh right – so how are you and Sharpay?" Chad grinned, turning towards Zeke.

"It's nothing serious – but things are going pretty cool.."

"_Sorry about this.. It was the draft rules – you must go on one date." Sharpay told Zeke apologetically. _

"_Hey – its fine, but I had no idea what do for this date since you only give me an hour notice." He grinned._

"_I can live with that – what have you got planned?" _

_Zeke reached behind the wall, and pulled out two pairs of roller skates._

"_Were going roller skating?" Sharpay asked, raising her eyebrows._

_  
"It's the most I could think of, and the only thing interesting in my house – but hey I'll even treat you to a hotdog – maybe even some ice-cream."_

"_Hmm, hotdog and an ice-cream? Well in that case I'll have to accept." Sharpay winked then took the pair of roller-skates off him._

"Yeah man, how did that date end off?" Troy asked, as he stopped at a red light.

"It was fun. We both roller skated around, then went to the beach front and got a hotdog and some ice-cream. I was surprised as Sharpay wasn't embarrassed to be skating or nothing."

"Dude – she so likes you, why don't you ask her out again?"

"I dunno, don't you think she just came on that date because it was the rules?" Zeke asked, worried.

"When has Sharpay ever stuck to rules? She could have said no to that date and nobody would have cared." Chad laughed.

"And she was the one who asked you." Troy pointed out.

"I guess your right, but nothings stopping her from saying no to a date that has nothing to do with the draft."

"Nothing's stopping her saying yes either.. Hey, I got an idea – how about we all go on a group date tonight, go-karting? Now you have an excuse to ask Sharpay." Troy grinned.

"Dude that's a great idea!"

---

"Go-karting?" Taylor asked Chad while he stood outside her, and Sharpay's room.

"Yeah, it'll be fun!"

"I suppose – is Sharpay and Gabs coming?"

"Yeah, what number is Gabi in? I need to go ask her too." Chad asked.

"219 – Watch out though, she's sharing a room with Sarah." Taylor warned.

"Sarah? How did that work out?"

"I dunno, they were just put together – Gabi was so not happy about it."

"I can see why – I mean common, it's Sarah. The only things they have in common are they both like Troy, and are both hot."

Taylor hit Chad over the shoulder then shook her head. "Hello, girlfriend standing right in front of you?!"

"Oh crap – baby you know your hotter than anyone else, and I've only got eyes for you." He winked.

"Glad to hear it, now call back when we're ready to go, but remember we can't be back that late, Gabriella's putting in a late practise for us." Taylor told him, kissed him on the cheek then closed the door.

---

"So are you still with Troy?" Sarah asked, lying back on her bed.

"Yeah." Gabriella simply answered.

"If you want my opinion-"

"I don't." Gabi interrupted.

"I don't think you'll last that long. Once a player, always a player I say." Sarah smirked.

"I don't really care what you think about Troy, you just keep dreaming you'll in bed with him."

"Funny, not long ago I was."

"He didn't even know your name the next day – I bet you felt special."

"And you're proud to say your boyfriend forgot the names of the girls he slept with – the next day?" Sarah questioned.

"Nope – but he's a changed Troy, he doesn't mess with your type anymore, he's not looking for some pathetic girl."

"Why does he need to look for one? He's got one right before me." She smiled sweetly.

---

"I hate her!" Gabriella cried as she waited with Chad, Sharpay and Taylor outside the go-karting tracks.

"You can crash in our room if you want, the sofa pretty comfy." Sharpay offered.

"I'd say yes to the floor if I had to." Gabriella smiled. "I can't stand her. She is always going on about Troy, if I stay in that room any longer I'm afraid I'll hit her."

"Well at least you'll be doing something the rest of us have wanted to do for the past year." Taylor grinned.

"But I'd get kicked off the squad most probably – you know what Sarah's like, she'll twist any story."

"Don't let her get to you Gab." Troy said, as he and Zeke walked over to the group with helmets for everyone.

They all took their helmets then walked over to the tracks, then each got into their own go kart.

"Go easy on us." Sharpay told the boys as she slipped her helmet on.

"We can't promise anything." Zeke laughed, getting into his kart and doing his seatbelt up.

"The three who come in last – pizzas on them tonight." Chad grinned.

Everyone agreed, then started their engines. The huge traffic lights above them, glowed red, then slowly orange.

"Ready?" Troy asked.

"As I'll ever be." Taylor said through the small mic in the helmet.

The six of them each looked up the lights once more, to see the orange light go dim, and the green light to appear.

"AND WERE OFF!" Gabriella laughed, then started the go kart and quickly took over Sharpay, Troy and Taylor.

"Oh it's on." Troy told her, then started to speed up, taking over Taylor and Chad in the making.

"How many laps?" Zeke asked, turning the corner, still in the lead.

"Four – it's a medium sized track." Chad said happily, but wasn't that way for long. "Crap!" He cried, as he watched Sharpay zoom past him.

"Who said this girl couldn't drive one of these things?" Sharpay giggled.

Ten minutes later, and the six of them weren't far off the finish line. Troy was currently leading the group, with Zeke close behind then Sharpay and Gabriella and lastly Chad and Taylor.

"I so have the slowest car." Chad sighed.

"No Chad, your just crap at this." Gabriella laughed, then sped up as they got closer and closer.

"And we have a winner!" Troy shouted as he past the finish line with Zeke passing it two second later.

"Only just dude." He laughed.

Sharpay was next to finish, then Gabriella then Taylor and finally, Chad – who the whole way, kept insisting it was the cars fault.

"Looks like pizzas on Gabi, Chad and Tay." Zeke grinned, getting out of his kart and taking his helmet off.

---

"There's a table free over there." Taylor said as the six of them walked into a pizza parlour.

They all headed over to where she pointed, then sat down and began looking at the menus.

"Well I could so use the opportunity to order the most expensive pizza on here." Troy grinned.

"You do that, and you're stuck with the bill Bolton." Gabi laughed.

"You know what guys? Tonight was really fun – totally worth getting helmet hair." Sharpay smiled.

"Yeah it was – we should do more things as a group." Chad agreed.

"Yeah we should.." Taylor smiled.


	14. Sneaking And Swimming Out

**I would have updated earlier, but as usual I left all my homework till last minute.. Yeah not a very good idea lmao. So as a little treat, I added more to this story.**

**I'd day in about two more chapters it be drama, as the next chapter I have something fun planned. Also I skip bits like the actual cheerleading things, as I'm not from America so I don't know what they do there etc :).**

**Also I'm gunna start replying to your reviews in the next chapter, so if you want a question answered or want to suggest an idea - review! I'll reply to them in the next chapter.**

**Enjoy the chapter xx.**

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**Chapter 14 – Sneaking And Swimming Out**

"_I said I wanted it pink." Sharpay murmured in her sleep._

_Gabriella turned over once again, and sighed. Sharpay had been talking in her sleep for the past hour, meaning Gabriella couldn't get to sleep. Not that she could anyway, she was on a very uncomfortable sofa._

"_Zeke wanted it to be pink too." Sharpay cried._

_Gabriella knew something was on Sharpay's mind. Every time she was confused or wanting to sort something out but just didn't know how, she'd sleep talk._

"I was not sleep-talking!" Sharpay protested, the three of them were waiting in the lobby for the rest of the cheerleaders.

"You were – you have something on your mind, or a someone." Gabriella winked.

"Still haven't got with Zeke?" Taylor asked, as the rest of the cheerleaders turned round the corner.

"Gabriella!? Where have you been, you're like an hour and a half late for practise?" Haley asked.

"Excuse me? You all knew practise was at 12 o'clock.. I told you all last night!?"

"Sarah told us you wanted us at half past ten? She said you wanted to fit in as much practise before the actual competition."

"Oh did she?" Gabriella asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah, that's what you told me last night – remember?" Sarah replied.

"Funny, I doubt that considering I wasn't even sleeping in the same room as you."

The squad looked around, wondering who to believe. Gabriella was always honest, but Sarah did look like she knew what she was talking about.

"Oh that's right – Troy told me, when he was in our room last night, just me and him." She smirked.

Gabriella went to make a move but Taylor and Sharpay grabbed her arms so she couldn't touch Sarah.

"Girls, this is my squad! Unless you hear from me, that practise has changed time – or Sharpay or Taylor, don't believe it."

"Sorry Gab, we just thought-" Melanie started, but was interrupted.

"It's fine, lets just forget about it – and get on with the practise."

----

"_And the winners, of the Annual Cheerleading Nationals are.. The East High Wildcat Cheerleaders!" The middle aged man told everybody in the huge arena._

"_OH MY GOD!" Gabriella cried, getting up along with the rest of the squad, to collect their trophies._

"_Well done captain!" Emily giggled as music blasted out of the speakers, and everybody in the audience stood up and applauded the winning team._

"So, you up for it?" Troy asked Gabriella outside her new room. He has just asked her if she and the team wanted to go out and celebrate their win, with the basketball team.

"What if we get caught? You know were not supposed to be out.." Gabriella said, worried they'd all get in trouble.

"Hey – we wont be, and besides even if we do, we have a dopey chaperon, and they cant do anything. My dad will make sure were all here for the championships tomorrow." He grinned.

"Okay, maybe this can work – I'll tell Sharpay and Taylor, we'll get ready and meet you downstairs. Do the other girls know?"

"Yep, were all over it – see you downstairs." He kissed Gabriella gently on the lips, then jogged down the hallway and into the nearest lift.

Once the lift had taken him down to the ground floor, he got out of it too see most of the cheerleading squad and basketball team.

"How are we going to get into any clubs?" Sarah asked, wanting to hear how these boys were going to do it.

"Before we came here, I made fake ID's for everyone – but now you all owe me five bucks." Chad laughed.

"Fine by me."

----

"How was I supposed to know they wouldn't work?!" Chad asked the bunch of annoyed teenagers walking beside him.

"We should have known they weren't going to work, coming from Chad." Sharpay muttered.

"I heard that!"

"You were supposed to." She said. Sharpay and the rest of the guys were all looking forward to a night with no limits, and to just have fun.

They all slowly walked back to the hotel, quietly talking to each other but no real conversation going on.

"Well I sure had fun tonight!" Troy said sarcastically as they all stood outside in the cold air, looking up at the hotel.

"Me too – we must do this again some time!" Zeke said in a high pitched voice.

"Hey, you guys aren't expecting refunds for those ID's now are you?" Chad asked, sitting on the edge of the huge water fountain.

One of the basketball players sighed then pushed Chad gently which made him lose his balance and fall into the fountain.

"Oh, so this light is looking up." Sarah said, walking over to the fountain where Chad's head was now visible out of the water.

He shook his hair, making sprinkles of water fly everywhere. He smiled then spat the water out of his mouth onto Gabriella and one of the cheerleaders, Emily.

"Eurgh! Chad that's disgusting!" Gabriella cried, then dipped her hand in and splashed Chad, but ended up being pulled in too.

"Oh my god!" She cried, the water was freezing and it being a water fountain and all, freezing water was dripping on her head.

Gabriella got up, with an evil grin on her face then grabbed Troy's shirt and pulled him on top of her. That was it, with Troy being in the fountain, everybody jumped in and began splashing each other.

"There is no I'm going in there." Sharpay said firmly, shaking her head.

"Oh really?" Taylor laughed then pulled her best friend in so she landed on Zeke.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" She giggled as she tried to help him back up but ended up slipping and ending back into the water.

"You know, I've always wanted to kiss someone in the rain." Gabriella said smiling at Troy as they both stood in the water, with drips of the fountain falling down onto their heads.

"It's not raining though." Troy said, then began to open his mouth to tell her something else, but Gabriella stopped him and pressed her lips onto his. Troy was a bit surprised but within a second he relaxed and began kissing her back.

"Chad sweetie, you know you have to pay all these people back for the ID's." Taylor reminded him as she pushed her wet hair back.

"I know, and now I have plan – and I kinda need your help." He said grinning.

"Okay not liking the sounds of this, were not going to rob a bank or nothing are we?" Taylor asked seriously, as she knew knowing Chad his plan was quite similar.

"Nope, were going to look for money in here." He told her, dropping his arm into the water, then began fishing around. A few seconds later her brought it back out to reveal a few coins.

"Oh great, were going to rob a fountain." She sighed then began searching for some spare change too.

----

"Now that was a fun night." Sarah grinned as the rest of the guys agreed. It was half an hour later and everybody was out of the fountain, and heading inside the hotel, each and everyone of them drenched.

The group of teenagers quietly walked into the hotel, hoping not to draw that much attention to them, as they knew they would get into so much trouble. Troy led the group over the to lifts then pushed the button.

"Okay if anyone asks why our clothes are wet, just say we got caught in the rain earlier and we were out because we were looking for a laundrettes." Troy told them all.

"Good idea." Gregg said.

Sharpay looked up at him and smiled. She hadn't spoken, or thought about him since the day of the draft – even though it looked like they were going to start a relationship. That was until Sarah picked him.

Sarah caught Sharpay looking at him then smirked. She wasn't with Gregg, but knew Sharpay used to really like him – so used this opportunity to make her jealous.

"Hey Gregg, we still need to organise that date, you know since I did pick you for the boy draft." Sarah giggled, then stroked her arm down his.

"Oh yeah, call me with the details or something and we can go out." He said, obvious to the fact Sarah was doing this to make Sharpay jealous.

"Where the hell is this lift?" Troy groaned, resting his head against the door.

"Troy!?" His name was called in an all too familiar voice.

"Dad?" Troy asked, then was about to lift his head to look around, but the lift door opened and he fell straight into it.

Mr.Bolton jogged over to the group of students and brushed past them all until he stood outside the lift looking at Troy.

"What are you doing out at this time? All of you?!" He shouted.

"Dad – I thought you weren't uh, here till the morning?"


	15. Dare Night

**Sorry I havent updated, but I werent really feeling up to writing, so I thought I'd wait untill I was completely ready as I didnt want you guys to read stuff I'd just written for the sake of it - its better to read stuff the writers taking time with etc, right:D**

**Anyway, read the A/N at the bottom its pretty important, well to me anyway :).**

**Enjoy the chapter and review, I reply to any ideas or questions you have now x**

Replies.

**acting-singing-bella – that's actually an awesome idea, and I think that's what I'll do now, thank you!**

**Chapter 15 – Dare Night**

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Everyone was back to the normal routine. It was the Monday after the basketball team and the cheerleading squad.

Gabriella walked into East High, past all the social groups, briefly hearing what they were talking about. Nearly every conversation was about the Wildcat's amazing win in the championships – or Troy and everybody else getting caught sneaking out.

She kept walking, thinking about what happened over the weekend. After the whole sneaking out incident, Coach Bolton had sent them all to their rooms, after telling them all they had to serve a three day detention once they got back to school.

But that wasn't it, he was informing everybody's parents, so practically everyone was grounded.

"Hey you." Troy said as she leaned against her locker, obviously happy to see her. After his dad had arrived, he'd worked him and his team mates harder than before, and deliberately made sure they couldn't go off seeing the cheerleaders.

"Long time no see, huh?" Gabriella said, raising her eyebrows.

"I'm sorry about my dad – you know how it is. Basketball comes first, and then my actual life does." He sighed.

"Hey – it's not your fault, you shouldn't be apologizing. How long are you grounded for?" She asked, opening her locker then pulling out her Chemistry notes.

"Two weeks. Only because it's the second time I've been caught out, because I've been swimming or in some sort of wet substance." He smirked.

"My mom's not too happy either. She thinks I'm starting to rebel because of the whole, your dad caught us in your pool incident. I don't think she trusts me anymore.."

"I feel like, I'm always getting you into trouble – your mom must think I'm such a bad influence." He said sadly. He was looking forward to meeting and getting to know Ms. Montez too.

"No she doesn't, she thinks high schools a bad influence. Me being a cheerleader and all.. But whatever – times have changed since she was in high school, and I know how to take care of myself." Gabriella said independently, then walked straight into her locker door, forgetting to shut it.

"Oh yeah – your going to do just fine I can see." Troy said, then burst into laughter while Gabriella rubbed the now red mark on her head.

"That just had to happen, right after I was doing my Miss. Independent speech." She muttered then slammed the door shut.

**---**

It was the end of the day and Gabriella was standing outside her locker cautiously. She looked around to see if anyone was looking then opened it. She didn't want a repeat of this morning's headache.

She picked up her English novel that she was reading for an assessment, then was about to close the door shut, but something pink with sparks of glitter on it, caught her eye.

She turned around fully to see what it was. It was a pink glittery envelope, with her name addressed on it in loopy writing. Confused, at who would leave her a letter in her locker, she picked it up then closed the locker door shut.

Gabriella opened it quickly, anxious to see what it was.

_Dear Gabriella Montez,_

_You have been specifically invited to attend 'Dare Night'. Meet outside this school at 7.30pm tonight – I shall await you and the other picked students. Prove you have nothing to be afraid for – and join in East High's new favourite game._

_S._

"S? Who the hell is S?" Gabriella asked her herself, rereading the note to try and figure out who left it in her locker, and what was Dare Night? She'd certainly never heard of it before.

----

Gabriella walked through the cold night, heading directly for the school. She had no idea why she was doing this. She wasn't grounded, but her mother was watching closely over. She knew Gabriella wasn't telling her the whole truth when she told her she was heading over Taylor's to study for a test coming up. Ms. Montez could have stopped Gabriella for coming, but she figured Gabriella needs to figure out being a teenager alone.

She continued walking, picking up the pace now and again until she saw the school. She took a deep breath, not knowing what to suspect then continued walking up, passing the green grass then the huge water fountain that sat in front of the school.

"Oh so you decided to turn up." A blonde haired girl said impressed.

"Didn't think I would?" Gabriella asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Cant say I did." She smirked.

"So what is this Sarah? Dare Night? Care to explain?" Gabriella asked, seriously wondering why she turned up after all.

"Not now – follow me, then all will become clear." She grinned, then turned around and walked off.

Gabriella stood there for a second, then started walking again, following the petite blonde across the school, then into the backdoor to the gym.

They both walked into a gym with recognizable faces that included, Troy, Sharpay, Taylor, Zeke, Chad, Gregg, two other basketball players, and two cheerleaders – Haley and Melanie.

"Hey." Troy said, walking up to Gabriella and hugging her, bring her body close into his.

"I thought you were grounded?" Gabriella whispered.

"I am – I just said me and Chad were going out to work on our fitness."

"So what the hell is this Sarah? You post notes in all of our lockers, inviting us to this Dare Night?" Taylor asked loudly, so everyone stopped talking and looked over to Sarah, all wanting to hear the answer.

"Okay, so I thought of this Dare Night thing, and decided to give it a go. Basically, we will pick our partners. Whoever we pick, will be our dare night partner for the rest of the night. You'll also pick your dare envelopes from a hat, which has five dares in it. You and your partner must complete the dares by the end of the night. At 10.15pm we all meet back here." Sarah said proudly.

"What makes you think, were going to agree to this – I mean why would we?" Gabriella asked.

"Because how many chances do you get to spend a night with friends, doing crazy stuff for fun? It's exciting, it's thrilling – it's something you all secretly want to do."

"How will we know that the other team has completed the dare, I mean we have no proof?" Melanie asked.

"Easy." Sarah hopped down and picked up the bag that was on the floor. "In this bag is instant cameras, you know the ones that develop as soon as you've taken the picture? Well you have to take a picture of each of your dares being taken place, with it."

Sarah reached into the bag, and put six cameras onto the table next to her.

"Now, its girls vs. boys – so girls pick your partners, and boys too." Sarah said, as Melanie quickly skipped over to Haley happily, and Sharpay and Taylor looked at each other grinning.

"Thank you very much." Gabriella groaned then walked over to Sarah, and glared at her.

"Oh we are going to have so much fun." Sarah laughed, then handed her a camera, and held up the hat with six big pink envelopes inside of it. "Pick away."

Gabriella looked up at her, then the hat then reached inside and picked up the bottom one. Sarah smiled at her, then walked over to Sharpay and handed her the hat.

"Okay once couple have an envelope, it's off to do your dares – remember 10.15pm back here!"

"Wait – what's the prize?" Chad asked as everyone turned in and agreed. Everybody was so caught up in what to do, they forgot to ask what was in it for them.

"Wait and see – now have fun – it is going to be one hell of a night!"

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**Review with your ideas for dares! I need quite a few so review with any ideas you got, and I'll see if I can use them! x**


	16. Dare Night Part Deux

**Review and enjoy!**

**Rhia x**

**lsr188 – Yep, I'm a huge one tree hill fan, so some of this story has a few references to it! I changed it a bit though, and put more detail into it )**

**SassyBR – Yeah she'll find out soon, in about two more chapters :)**

**xLivexItxUpx – thanks for the ideas :D I've put them in!**

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**Chapter 16 – Dare Night Part Deux**

Dare 1# Buy some erotic adult toys wearing the clothes in the bag.

Troy picked up the blue bag, then emptied the contents onto the bench outside the mall.

"Oh she's good." He told Gregg as he looked down at the black leather pants, and a black waist coat.

"Do you even know if there's place that sells these, uh toys?" Gregg asked awkwardly.

"Of course I do – your talking to one of the biggest players ever here. Well I used to be, before I met Gabi. Change man now." He grinned then picked the clothes up and started walking, Gregg quickly following behind.

"So you're doing it?"

"Well I don't suppose you want to?" Troy asked, raising his eyebrows.

"No." Gregg sighed of relief, then waited outside the men's bathroom as Troy changed into the clothes. Five minutes later, he came out, looking around to see if anyone was looking at him.

"Nice man." Gregg laughed, which earned him a quick slap on the back of the head from an embarrassed Troy.

"Let's just get this over with – follow me."  
----

"Is she serious?" Zeke cried, looking at the first dare.

"Dude – its nothing, I could do this in my sleep." Chad said proudly.

"Chad, I wouldn't be surprised if you already have."

"Normally, I'd be offended – but I wouldn't be surprised either. Come to think of it, it's possible I have." He grinned, then watched Zeke lift the leather pants out of the bag, smirking.

"Now I didn't see that one coming."

"What did you see coming?"

"I dunno, something stupid like a bunny suit or something.." Chad shrugged, snatching the clothes off him.

"A bunny suit?" Zeke laughed.

"Don't get any ideas."

----

Dare 2# Steal an item from your crush's or partners bedroom.

"So I take it were doing Troy? After all, he's _my _partner and _your _crush." Gabriella said after a long silence between herself and Sarah.

"Sure why not – Mrs and Mr Bolton love me, what about you?" Sarah grinned.

"Oh, were real close." Gabriella said, gritting her teeth to stop her saying something she'd regret.

"Cool – then lets get a move on then." Sarah smiled, then skipped off.

Ten minutes later, they were both standing outside Troy's house, waiting for one of his parents to answer the door.

"What are we going to say?" Gabriella asked. It hadn't occurred to her that it wouldn't be that easy to just swoop past and go into Troy's bedroom.

"Just follow my lead." Sarah told her as the door opened, revealing Mrs Bolton.

"Oh hi there Mrs Bolton! I'm Sarah and this is Gabriella, and sadly we both missed today's English lesson – so Troy said it would be okay if we popped round to borrow his notes." Sarah told her sweetly, putting on an innocent smile.

"Oh yeah – he told us if he wasn't here, to ask you if it was okay to go up to his room and get them ourselves. You see we have a test coming up, and we really need to look over them." Gabriella added.

Mrs Bolton's face softened, then smiled at the two girls in front of her. "Of course, it's the third door and the left – excuse the mess."

"Thank you Mrs Bolton, we wont be a minute."

The two of them walked into the house, then quickly up the stairs, stopping at the third door then walking in.

"Oh, I remember what me and Troy used to do in this room.." Sarah giggled.

"Oh and how I remember hearing him every single day after, moaning about how terrible and inexperienced you were." Gabriella smiled, then looked around at the red and white room in front of her. Typical wildcat.

Sarah glared at her, then picked up a photo frame which had a picture of Troy and Gabriella inside of it.

"Why don't we steal this one, and throw it in the trash while we leave?" Sarah asked.

----

"Ms Mckessie, it's a pleasure to finally meet you." Chad told Taylor's mother, as he and Zeke stood on her doorstep.

"Chad isn't it? What can I do for you?"

"Well uh earlier, Taylor was a bit cold – so I lent her my jacket, I was wondering if it was still here?" Chad asked, crossing his fingers behind his back, hoping his plan would work. He didn't fancy plan B – sneaking round the back and climbing up the wall.

"Well Taylor isn't here right now, and I'm a bit busy with work – so would it be okay if you boy's quickly went up and got it?"

"That would be perfect – thank you!"

----

Dare 3# Ask for an adult film in your local video store.

"Man, what is with all this adult stuff – she definitely knows the best dares." Troy said, looking down at the third dare.

"Well I guess I should do this one, considering you did the first one – and you talked Gabriella's mom into letting us up into her room." Gregg said, sighing.

"Man, I do look good in leather pants mind – what do you think?" Troy asked Gregg, looking down at the picture of him with the sales assistant, holding various adult toys up.

"I'd prefer not to answer that." Gregg said, then dragged him into the store. "I don't even know any films like this!"

"I guess this is where I come in."

----

"Do you any like, adult films?" Haley asked the woman behind the desk.

"You're the fifth person to ask me that tonight. Their at the back of the store, right wall."

"Thanks, have you got the camera?" Haley said, turning around to ask Melanie.

Melanie nodded, then watched the woman behind the desk raise her eyebrows at the camera in her hands.

"Uh, school project." She said quickly, then froze. "Personal project I mean." She muttered, then froze again once she'd realized what she said.

"It's for a friend!" Haley finally said, then rushed up to the back aisle.

----

Dare 4# Both of you put the t shirts on, which is in the bag then get a photo with the teacher below. Bonus points – get a picture with you kissing their cheek. Your teacher 

"Mr Bolton!" Sharpay said cheerfully, wondering if he had had a visit like this from one of the other partners.

"Sharpay, Taylor – what are you doing here? Troy's out sorry girls." He told them.

"Oh were not here to see him – were here to see you." Taylor said, trying hard to cover the message on her shirt.

"Really? Any particular reason why?" He asked.

"No not really, we were just wondering if we could have a picture with our favourite teacher."

"..I don't see why not. This better not appear on the walls of the cafeteria though." He laughed.

Sharpay and Taylor give him a fake laugh, then stood beside him then looked at each other and nodded.

Before the flash went off, both of them kissed Mr Bolton quickly on the cheek just as the bright light went off in front of them.

"Well that was, uh awkward. I'll just forget that ever happened – see you in school girls." He told them, but before he turned around, the message on their t shirts caught his eye.

_I've got a thing for teachers._

----

Dare 5# To be completed tomorrow at school. Turn over to find out.

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**What did you think :)? I ended it like that as I'm out of ideas for wild dares, so review with your ideas! Remember, they have to be done in school! Thanks x**


	17. Deepest Secrets

**Prom is the next chapter! Woop, so that means drama - finally some for this story haha!**

**This was kinda a filler, but the whole last dare was needed for what I have planned for the next chapter, otherwise I would have made the dares a bit funnier like last chapter - but I needed them to be pretty serious.**

**Anyway enjoy the chapters, expect another update from me within this week!**

**Rhia x**

**Replies.**

**gabster55 – thanks for the very nice review :)! I liked your idea, I'm going on something along those lines x**

**xZANESSA4LIFEx – nope, mrs Bolton and Gabriella haven't officially met yet, but I plan on making them meet for real soon. **

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**Chapter 17 – Deepest Secret.**

Dare 5# Tell your partner your current deepest secret. You must tell them in the janitor's closet, take a photo of the two of you in there for proof.

Troy looked down at the sheet in his hand. Couldn't he have completed that dare the night before? Why did he have to be in school, and in the janitor's closet?

The questions in his mind quickly went away as the bell rang. He needed to talk to Gabriella about the dare night, as he didn't get the chance to last night.

He turned the corner and started to speed up, not wanting to be late again – he was fed up of repainting stuff in the drama hall for Darbus.

"Hey." Gabriella smiled as he caught up with her.

"Have fun last night?" He asked.

"It was.. Different. Could have done without Sarah though." She said, shaking her head.

"Yeah sorry about that, if it was boys vs. girls, I would have offered to be your partner." He told her.

"Hey its fine, I got to see her do some pretty crazy stuff." Gabriella chuckled as they both headed into their homeroom, then sat with the rest of the group.

"So did you guys see the last dare?" Taylor asked.

"Yeah, anyone know why it had to be completed today? Bit suspicious.." Zeke said, looking round as everyone nodded in agreement.

----

It was free period, and Troy and Gregg had decided to meet up in the janitor's closet and get the dare over with. They knew most people wouldn't be walking around the hallways, so they thought it would be easier not to be seen – it would be pretty awkward talking their way out of this one.

Troy waited in the closet, tapping his foot loudly, and waiting for Gregg to turn up. He began thinking of what secret he could tell him. But did he have to tell him a secret? They could just lie and said they told each other one, without really doing it..

But then again, Troy didn't have much to hide – this was Gregg. They were both pretty close, growing up on the same basketball team, Troy thought Gregg wouldn't say anything – he wasn't the type to spread other people's secrets.

"Sorry I'm late." Gregg said, his head appearing round the door, then walked in and stood opposite Troy. "Okay, so a deepest secret.."

"Yeah, I'm still thinking – so you can go first." Troy told him, still attempting to think of something Gregg didn't already know.

"Okay mine is probably.. I still really like Sharpay." Gregg said, shrugging at the fact he didn't have anything bigger to tell.

"Oh cool man. Mine is.." Troy thought for a second. He knew his biggest secret at the moment, but should he tell Gregg? Who's Gregg going to tell? He could trust him right? "Mine is that Chad bet me that I could get Gabriella to go out with me."

"Really dude? Is that why you're with her?" Gregg asked, quite shocked.

"Oh no way man – I really really really like Gabi. She's the first girl I've ever been this serious with, like relationship wise." Troy told him, his voice and eyes showing that he meant every word.

"Oh right. Well I guess dare night is officially over now." Gregg said, then nodded at Troy and exited through the door.

Ten minutes later, Chad and Zeke were walking down the hallway together, checking that there was nobody in sight.

"Okay, let's get this over with." Zeke told him, then opened the door to the janitor's closet, then followed Chad in.

"Mine probably is, I'm scared Sharpay will say no if I ask her out, that's why I haven't, or wont." Zeke said, looking down at his feet.

"Kinda obvious, but whatever." Chad smiled at him then tried to think of his own secret. Most of his secrets were Troy's secrets, Chad never really had any of his own.

"Okay this was a while ago, and I totally regret it and just want to put it behind me, but like two weeks after me and Taylor started dating I kinda hooked up with this girl at a party.." Chad said quietly, obviously ashamed at what he had done.

"What? Does Taylor know!?" Zeke asked.

"No, no! And I plan on keeping it that way – it was ages ago now, back when I was still a jerk, she's changed me now – trust me." Chad told him.

----

"I can't believe I have to spend my lunch with you, it's bad enough I had to spend last night with you." Gabriella moaned as she slowly walked behind Sarah, who was leading her to the closet.

Once they were both inside, Gabriella spoke up first. "Okay I have no idea why I'm telling you this, when I could simply make it up, but I guess if I never tell anybody – I'll never face up to it." Gabriella took a deep breath then looked at Sarah. "I think I'm in love with Troy."

"Really? I thought your relationship was just like any other relationship he's had. Full of crap." Sarah smirked.

"Nope, it's pretty serious – but whatever, don't tell anybody that. I haven't even told Troy." Gabriella said, kind of regretting ever telling her.

"Sure I guess. I kinda seduced Mr. Uterli, you know that hot English teacher – well yeah one night I was staying behind to help with prom, and it just happened." Sarah grinned, obviously proud of her accomplishments.

"Your are even more of a whore than I thought you were.." Gabriella said, immensely shocked. She used to think Mr. Uterli was a very good man, and a huge help with her English assignments.

"Whatever." Sarah grinned, then walked out, leaving Gabriella - still in huge shock.

----

"So what did Sarah tell you?" Sharpay asked Gabriella as the two of them were sitting on the beside the Evans' pool.

"Oh nothing really – she just made up something about being on some huge diet that nobody knows about." Gabriella told her. She decided that if Sarah was keeping her secret, she'd may as well return the favour.

"Oh." Sharpay said, wondering if Gabriella was really telling the truth.

Gabi noticed this, so decided to change the subject. "So! Prom in two days, excited?!"

"Yeah apart from the fact I still haven't got a date." Sharpay said gloomily. Sure a lot of guys had asked her – even Gregg had hinted a little but Sharpay wasn't interested. She wanted the right guys to ask her, but he just didn't seem to know that.

"Zeke still hasn't asked you?! Sharpay I think it's time you asked him." Gabriella said, rolling her eyes. Sharpay and Zeke both liked each other – a lot, but neither of them had the courage to ask each other out, which the rest of the gang found extremely stupid as everyone knew there was a connection between the two of them.

"I can't ask him! Gabriella if he wanted to go with me, he would have asked!" Sharpay cried.

"No he wouldn't have – this is Zeke! The shy guy, he thinks that you're too good for him, too popular – like you'd have a lot more choices before you thought of him."

"He does have a point." Sharpay said thoughtfully, but just earned a glare off Gabriella.

"But it's obviously not true! Do you really think I should ask him?"

"Yeah, give him till tonight though." Gabriella said, wondering if she could give Zeke a little push as she knew Sharpay was just as nervous as he was. "Kinda weird how nervous you are though, you're not normally like this with guys." Gabi laughed.

"Yeah but usually they just drop at my knees – Zeke's different. I like Zeke, he sees me for who I am, and that makes me pretty nervous."

"Well you needn't be – he likes you. A lot." Gabriella said, happy to be playing apart in what could be a new relationship.

"So how are you and Troy?" Sharpay said. She realized that over the past few days she'd just dumped her problems on Gabriella, and not had time to think about how she was doing.

"Oh great, he's grounded again, but I really like him Sharpay. I've fallen for him." Gabriella said, beaming.

"Fallen for him? Things are that serious?"

"Well I dunno if they are for him, but for me they are. I think I'm.. I think I'm in love with him." Gabriella said for the second time that day.

"In love with him!? Troy Bolton?" Sharpay asked, shocked at what her best friend has just told her. She understood that he was a changed man, but could one boy really change that much?


	18. Secrets Revealed On Our Night

**Okay I'm so sorry for not updating anytime sooner! Nearly everyday I've been doing assignments, and normal homework and It's just all piled up the last seven days! So I wrote this all today, and now I really have to go so I didnt even have time to re read it to check its okay - so I hope it is!**

**Well this is the chapter you've all been waiting for, as far as I've read - I'm pretty proud of it. I really hope you all like it, left you on a cliffhanger but now most of my work is over, hopefully I can update sooner!**

**Review with your thoughts, ideas for future chapters etc!**

**Love Rhia x**

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**Chapter 18 – Secrets Revealed On Our Night**

Prom Night.

Taylor, Gabriella and Sharpay stood in front of Sharpay's huge mirror. Tonight was the night. Tonight was the night they'd all been waiting for, the night that changed everything.

_One day earlier._

_Sharpay walked up Zeke's driveway, nervously. Gabriella was parked across the road to make sure she kept to the plan._

_If Zeke wasn't going to ask her to prom, Sharpay would just have to ask him. She carried on walking, wondering if she had made the right choice by listening to Gabriella. I mean what if Zeke turned her down? What if he already had a date?_

_Sharpay shook her head, trying to get rid of the nerve racking thoughts then knocked on the door. Seconds later, she could hear someone jogging down the stairs, and then the door opened._

"_Sharpay? What are you doing here?" Zeke asked, amazed that she actually knew where he lived. They'd been pretty close over the past weeks, but he still didn't think she was interested._

"_Okay so I was wondering if you um, had a date for the prom yet?" She asked him, stumbling on her words._

_  
"Uh, no, no I don't.." Zeke said, a bit confused. Was she trying to ask him? Shouldn't it have been the other way round?_

"_Well I was wondering if.." Sharpay started, but got interrupted by Zeke who had by now, caught on._

_  
"Sharpay would you like to go to prom with me?"_

"So he finally asked huh?" Taylor grinned, then quickly jumped as the doorbell went.

"Their early!" Gabriella cried, looking up at the pink clock, which was encrusted with diamonds, on the wall.

"The only time we want them to be a bit late – they come early!" Sharpay said, frustrated. She looked at herself once more in the mirror and smiled, satisfied with what she saw looking back at her.

She was wearing a long, strapless red dress which was embodied with very small beads, and glitter. Everyone thought Sharpay would wear something outrageous and pink, but this actually looked really pretty.

Taylor was wearing a yellow dress which fell just bellow her knees. It had a black laced waist and hem. Her hair looked nicer than usual too. She was wearing extensions, and had all of her hair curled.

Gabriella was wearing a gorgeous light blue long dress. It was flowed down beautifully. There was a white waistline, which seemed to have a few diamonds on it.

"Ready?" Gabriella said, checking her diamond clips were in place.

"Yep." Taylor said then took a deep breath and followed Sharpay and Gabriella out of the big room, then downstairs.

As they reached the part of the stairs where they could see the downstairs hallway, the saw three very nervous looking boys, all dress in tuxes.

"Who knew you even knew what a tux was." Taylor giggled, then pulled on both sides of his shirt, to tidy it up a bit.

"Well the guys did help out a little." Chad shrugged.

"A little? We practically dressed you man." Zeke said brought out a band with little white flowers on it, and tied it round Sharpay's wrist, the other boys doing the same to their dates.

"Well are we ready to go?" Troy asked, looking at everybody.

"Yeah-" Gabriella began but got interrupted by a very loud noise.

"Oh my god! Gabriella you look beautiful!" Ms Montez cried as she came through the Evans' living room door with Mrs Evans and Mrs Mckessie. "Photos!"

"Mom.." Gabriella groaned, but by now all three mothers had cameras out and were already snapping away.

"Well.. We best make them good ones." Troy grinned, then pulled Gabriella in closer.

----

"This looks amazing!" Gabriella gasped as she and Troy both walked into the gym. But now it wasn't filled with Wildcat posters – it was decorated in blue and white.

"Pretty cool huh?" Troy said, nodding in agreement. "So do you want me to go get us some drinks?" He offered.

"Sure, I'll go find our seats." Gabriella told him, then headed off in search for a table with the names Gabriella Montez and Troy Bolton sitting on them. She walked around various round tables until she found the one.

She dropped her bag onto the chair reserved for herself, and took her white wrap off and folded it neatly. Just as she was standing up straight, a name next to Troy's caught her eye.

_Sarah Harris._

"What the hell?" Gabriella hissed then moved in closer to see if it was really Sarah's name, sitting next to Troy. "How did this-" Gabriella froze. Of course, Sarah was on the prom committee – she done this!

Gabriella picked up the white card and looked around to see if anyone was watching her. When she saw everybody was too busy with their dates, she started moving across the gym, looking for a name to replace Sarah with.

"Gabriella! Nice dress, I guess. Shame I wore one just like it last year to some charity gala my mom was hosting. It was just something I found in the back of my closet, quite old and boring – but I had nothing else to wear." She smirked, as Gabriella looked down at the card in her hands tried to cover it.

"Oh, uh really?" Gabriella asked, trying to get rid of her as quick as she could.

"What's that you got there?" Sarah asked, lifting Gabriella's arm up (with a bit of a struggle) then laughing at the card in her hand. "So you saw that were table buddies."

"You set that up. There is no way you are on the same table as me and Troy!" She told her firmly.

"Too bad, everything's already set up – nobody can change a thing now. And I'm sure Troy would hate to see you get chucked out of here for interfering. But then again I could be his new date."

"When are you going to get it into you huge thick head – Troy doesn't like you! He never will!" Gabriella said, a little bit louder, getting the attention from a group of people nearby.

"Sure Gabs sure. But just remember this – once a player, always a player." She winked at her, then snatched her name card out of her hands, and walked back to her table.

Gabriella was about to follow her, telling her she wasn't finished but Troy was now beside her again, holding a cup out to her.

"What just happened with you and Sarah? I saw you arguing." He said, taking a sip of his drink.

"Oh nothing, she's just frustrating me again – as always. But I'm not going to let her get to me tonight. Not even if she's on the same table as us." Gabriella told Troy, but mainly telling herself.

"She's on our table!?"

"Mhm." Gabriella murmured, then shrugged and walked away.

----

Gabriella sat by the table, alone. She had been waiting for Troy to return for ten minutes now. He told her he was just going to tell the basketball team the next match date, but by the looks of things it had turned into a huge discussion, as Troy was sitting at someone else's table, with everyone else pulling up chairs around him.

She continued tapping her foot, until someone sat in Troy's seat beside her. She looked up, hoping Troy had returned, and at the same time hoping it wasn't Sarah.

"Oh hey." Gabriella said, quite pleased but still upset it wasn't Troy.

"Having fun?" Taylor asked.

"If you call having fun being annoyed by Sarah all night and waiting around for your boyfriend to stop being so sociable – then yeah I'm having a blast." She said gloomily.

"Okay, well Chad's left me to go join your boyfriend and the team – so how about you come dance with me?" Taylor offered, which Gabriella gladly accepted – it would be her first dance of the night.

Gabriella followed Taylor into the crowd of dancing students then found a space and began dancing together, throwing in a few moves they made up years ago.

"I haven't done that in ages!" Gabriella laughed, finally having a good time as Taylor began to twirl out of the space.

Gabriella copied her, but twirling into the other direction until she bumped into someone. "Sorry!" She shouted over the music, turning around to see someone who was about to blow up.

"Oh its you!" Sharpay grinned. "I was going to have a go at whoever stood on my dress then."

"Oh right – sorry about that." Gabriella told her, then smiled at Zeke who was standing behind Sharpay.

"Oh don't worry about it. So how's your night going?" She asked.

"Uh not so good. I've seen my date about twice this evening – if you happen to bump into him, tell him his girlfriend isn't very happy."

"Ouch. Don't worry about him Gab, you know they always have their annual catch up during prom – they practically wait to tell each other anything until this night." Zeke laughed.

"How come your not over there then?" She sulked at the fact Sharpay actually had a date who noticed that he came to prom with someone.

"I have no news, and to be honest I'm not interested in finding out any." He shrugged.

"Lucky you." Gabriella told Sharpay, then tapped her on the shoulder, smiled then headed off back to Taylor who was still busting some very old moves.

"Nice Taylor!"

----

"Okay so I'm sorry about kinda ditching you – I forget to keep check of time, but hey you were having a good time weren't you?" Troy said to Gabriella as they both stood by the drinks table.

"Oh yeah great. Did I mention my first senior prom dance was with my best friend? Sure my boyfriend was supposed to fill that role.."

"Look I'm sorry – but this is my first prom when I actually have a proper girlfriend – it's taking some getting used too."

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "So are you going to ask me to dance at all this evening?"

"Would you like to dance?" He grinned, his crystal blue eyes sparkling.

"About time." She smiled, then took his hand in hers, and led him onto the dance floor.

They spent the next half hour dancing and laughing, and making fun of Chad's so called 'moves' he'd been practising the whole week before prom. They obviously weren't worth the time or effort he put into them.

"Dude, their awesome!" Chad told Troy.

"They were awesome when we were about eight Chad."

"Well I did learn them from my eighth birthday party video.."

"I knew I seen that snake move once before! You did it just before you fell head first into your cake!" Troy laughed, but his laughter quickly died down as he heard Chad's voice fill the room, via the speakers.

"Two weeks after me and Taylor started dating I kinda hooked up with this girl at a party.." His voice was heard from all over the room. The music was turned right down and everyone turned to look at him, including Taylor.

"What?" She gasped.

"Taylor – you weren't supposed to hear that! It was from months ago! It didn't mean anything!" Chad cried, running out of excused already.

"I think I'm in love with Troy." Was the next voice to be heard.

"Is that true?" Troy asked, turning to Gabriella.

Gabriella opened her mouth to try and explain why she told her secret to Sarah before she told him, but stopped when she heard the next voice.

"Chad bet me that I could get Gabriella to go out with me."


	19. Broken Heart Club

**Okay so this a little update, kinda filler. It's a bit darkert than my other chapters - more emotion etc. Hopefully I'll be able to update by Sunday, if I get my History assignment done tomorrow :(.**

**Enjoy the chapter, and review! Also I know all of you hate Sarah, so I can assure she will be gone within two chapters!**

**Love Rhia x**

**Chapter 19 – Broken Heart Club**

Gabriella looked at Troy, hurt showing in her eyes. She had expected some sort of secret of his to be revealed, but she thought it would be something stupid – like he cheated on his Algebra test. That would have been okay. That would have been fine. Everybody would of just laughed at that, and congratulate him for getting away with it until now.

She never expected news of a bet? How can you bet on a person? Especially when their feelings are involved. How could he be so careless?

She stood before him, in silence. Everybody was staring at the two of them, a circle now forming around them. Everyone waiting for Gabriella's response.

"You know what Troy Bolton?" Gabriella got out, tears now leaving her eyes, and starting to cascade down her cheeks.

Troy didn't know whether to answer or not. He kept looking at her, deciding to stay on the safe side and keep his mouth shut.

"You're a fake. I knew I should have trusted my instincts. Don't get involved with a guy like you! You're just like the rest of them!" She sobbed.

"Gabriella it wasn't-"

"I trusted you! I let you in!" She continued on, and then stopped to wipe her face which was now soaking with her tears, which were still falling – faster now.

Troy began to open his mouth, to try and explain. He needed to explain. He couldn't let Gabriella leave without knowing the truth. He wanted everyone to know the truth.

"Save it. Bets on how long it'll take me to break up with him?" Gabriella said, raising her voice and looking around. "Come on, everyone have a go!"

"I'll take within two minutes." Sarah smirked, and then raised her hands. "Ten dollars."

"Your spot on for once Sarah." Gabriella glared at Troy then walked over to Sarah, who was standing at the edge of the circle.

Everybody's eyes followed Gabriella as she moved across the floor, then stopped in front of Sarah.

"You have no idea how much hate I have for you right now. No idea." She spat out. She was the verge of hitting her, but Gabriella restrained herself. She didn't want anything she'd regret later, onto her report.

She turned to look at everyone, who was looking back, some getting quite nervous at what Gabriella was going to do next. They'd never seen this side of her before, she was always happy, caring, had a solution for everything.

"Don't bother calling me." She muttered as she walked past Troy once more, and then headed towards the gym doors.

----

Troy threw his jacket onto the floor then collapsed onto his bed. He'd messed things up and didn't know whether he could ever fix them.

He knew the bet was a mistake as soon as he got with Gabriella. But he didn't know he'd end up falling in love with her, did he? Falling in love. Yeah he heard it was supposed to kill when you screw it up. Boy was that right.

He tried phoning Gabriella all the way back from prom. He'd ring, leave a message, hang up, and then start again. He'd stopped now, after 83 calls, he finally realized she wasn't going to pick up.

"Why did I have to be such a jerk?!" He cried to himself.

He was hopeless. He didn't know what to do now, should he go over Gabriella's to try and make up, or is it too soon, is she still angry? Will she just kick him out? Or should he start calling again? Maybe she would answer this time?

Who was he kidding? Of course she wasn't answering.

----

"He cheated on me." Taylor whispered. She was out of tears, completely dried out. She and Sharpay had been sitting on the bench outside of the school for an hour.

"Maybe it's not what you think Tay – maybe we just interpreted it wrong?" Sharpay suggested to her best friend.

"You were in there weren't you?!" She shouted. "I heard him say he cheated on me – how could I have taken that the wrong way!?"

"Okay, okay sorry." Sharpay said, trying to calm her down.

"Sorry Shar. But he's not here for me to take it out on him, so I guess you're the lucky one." Taylor paused, looking up at the dark blue sky to think. "I wonder what happened to Gabi."

"I've tried calling her – she won't answer her cell." Sharpay said sadly. She was really worried about Gabriella. All the time she's known her, she'd never seen her so angry – so this was something that was quite scary.

"How did it happen? I mean their voices, recorded, being played.. How?" Taylor asked.

Sharpay thought about it. She'd been completely focused about Taylor and Gabriella, she'd forgotten to think about how this had all happened. "When would of Chad, Troy and Gabriella have told their secrets?"

Taylor froze, then tried to get the name out of mouth, but it wouldn't, it wouldn't come out. She took a deep breath then got up. "Sarah."

Sharpay quickly got up, and nodded. "Of course! The last dare! She had all this planned! Oh my god."

Taylor forgot about all her current problems, and focused on one thing – finding Sarah. She grabbed Sharpay's wrist then started running, with Sharpay right behind her. They both ran back into the gym, to find it deserted.

"Guess everyone went home.." Taylor said, looking around. Tables and chairs were in the same position they were at the start of the night. Prom hadn't even lasted that long for everyone to be seated.

Sharpay walked over to the speakers, confused at how this could have happened. "She must have recorded our secrets – but how did she play them here, tonight?"

Taylor joined Sharpay over by the speakers, then began thinking. Sarah was on the prom committee, so obviously had access to any rooms that were involved in Prom Night.

"The only place I can think of is the AV room, you can play anything to most rooms in there."

"Then come on, we'll have a look tonight." Sharpay told her.

"But that means practically breaking into the school – we could get expelled.." Taylor said slowly, hoping Sharpay understood.

"But if we don't get caught, and find out everything – Sarah could get expelled." Sharpay reminded her.

"We could get rid of her, once and for all."

----

How could she have been so stupid? She knew what Troy used to be like, what made her think that he had changed?!

He made her think he had changed. He convinced her he was a new man. Kind, caring, sweet, and thoughtful – all lies. She felt sick thinking that everything he'd ever said to her, was lies. She'd told him some of her deepest secrets, she told him stuff that she'd never told anyone else.

She walked into her kitchen, still in her blue prom dress, which was a bit dirty as she had walked all the way home in it. She opened the freezer and opened the second compartment – the heartbroken compartment.

She reached for the ice cream and the cookie dough, then closed the door and opened the top cupboard and brought out a big bar of chocolate. She reached for a spoon which was lying beside the sink, then took all this into the living room.

She dumped them all on the arm chair, then turned the TV on and started looking for some romantic film to make her feel even more depressed. Once she'd found one, she brought the cookie dough onto her lap and began digging her spoon into it.

What a way to spend her prom night. Sat on the sofa with her broken heart supplies, watching some love story which wasn't even true anyway.

"Remind me never to fall in love again." She told herself.


	20. Accusations and Attempted Apologies

**Okay so recently I had a little writers block for this story, thats why it took me longer to update but don't worry I've sorted that out now and have more ideas!**

**Soon Troy and Gabriella, Taylor and Chad will get back together - but in reality couples dont get back together straight away after an argument.**

**Hope you enjoy the chapter, don't forget to review!!**

**Rhia x**

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**Chapter 20 – Accusations and Attempted Apologies **

Sharpay and Taylor crept across the school hallway. They knew nobody would be in here at this time, especially after the way prom ended – but they were still really cautious. 

"Where is this stupid AV room?" Sharpay hissed. 

"It's just round the corner," Taylor told her as the two of them slowly walked round. "Here we are."

The two of them stared at the door for a moment, not knowing what to do next. If there was a tape in there, what were they going to do then? Would the principle really believe them?

Taylor took a few steps until she was directly in front of the door. She reached for the door handle and opened it, pushing the door forward to reveal a dark looking room.

Sharpay followed her inside, hitting the lights on her way. "So what are we looking for?"

"Some sort of tape player, - there it is!" Taylor said happily, and then quickly ran over to the tape player on the table, that was clearly on. "Yeah I can see now, it's all wired up to play in the gym."

"Well let's just get the tape and get out of here." Sharpay told her.

Taylor pressed 'eject' then took the tape out of the player. "Tomorrow we'll go straight to the principle with this.

Chad threw his phone down on the bed and sighed. He'd tried ringing Troy at least five times now. He knew Troy had problems of his own – but Chad could always talk to Troy when he needed his help. 

Ringing Taylor wasn't successful either; she had now turned her phone off after Chad continuously ringing. He knew he definitely didn't want to bother Gabriella. The way she blew up that night was enough to scare anybody off. And he knew she wouldn't be happy about what he said on the tape either – Taylor is her best friend.

"Why did I have to screw things up!?" He cried in frustration. Taylor was his first proper girlfriend, not someone he would just mess around with – he really, really liked her.

It was the next morning and everyone at East High couldn't stop talking about what went down the night before. Did Gabriella and Troy make up? What about Taylor and Chad? How did the secrets get recorded in the first place? Had Troy ever betted on any other girls?

So many questions unanswered – and they were going to stay that way. Anyone who knew anything about last night was keeping their mouths shut – they didn't want to spread their friend's private life about the place.

"I wish people would stop staring at me." Gabriella muttered to Sharpay, as the two of them walked into school.

Sharpay had told Gabriella everything that had happened last night between herself, Taylor and the tape.

"Well after the way you blew up last night – people are in shock Gab." 

"Yeah I suppose I did let my anger get the better of me." 

"Who cares? You showed Troy that if he plays with fire – he's gunna get burnt."

"So when are you going to show the tape to the principle?" Gabriella asked, trying to get off the subject of Troy.

"Oh soon. We'll go see him during free period if we can – so that means we might miss a bit of cheerleading. Is that okay?" Sharpay asked.

"Yeah I'm thinking of cancelling practise anyway – I've got too much to deal with at the moment. Oh and I'm kicking Sarah off the squad so I may as well go find her to do that now. I might just kill her as well so don't wait up." Gabriella smiled to Sharpay then walked off.

"Sharpay!" She heard someone call her name, so turned around to see him jogging up to her.

"What's up Chad?"

"Uh is Taylor here yet?" He asked, worried that Sharpay had turned against him too.

"No she's not – you know Chad she was really upset last night – I can't believe you would cheat on her!" She said, hitting him on the arm.

"I know, I know but you guys didn't hear all of it. What I said after is that I was drunk, and I was still a jerk back then – I totally regret it happening!" He pleaded with Sharpay, hoping she'd at least forgive him.

"Still, you really hurt her."

"Do you think there's any chance of her taking me back?"

"You've got more chance than Gabriella taking Troy back that's for sure."

"Troy Bolton – you're late." Ms Darbus told him as he sat down in his seat.

"Yeah I thought we covered that when I walked in." He was not in the mood for Darbus right now – he needed to talk to Gabriella.

"Enough of the cheek. If you're late one more time – you'll be in detention with me all week." She said firmly, and then went back to reading her magazine.

Troy shifted round in his seat, so he was facing Gabriella. "Can I talk to you outside?" He whispered.

"No." Gabriella wasn't prepared to argue with him, not now. She'd just nearly hit Sarah, and if anyone got on her nerves, she'd be sure to hit them.

"_Sarah!" Gabriella called as Sarah was about to turn a corner._

_  
"Oh hi Gabriella – how's Troy?" She smirked. _

_Gabriella restrained herself from hitting her. "You're off the squad."_

"_What?!" Sarah hadn't expected that – she thought Gabriella would just start screaming at her about last night._

_  
"You heard. Don't bother coming to practise again – and if I see you near my friends, or Troy for that matter it'll be the last thing you'll do." She threatened._

_  
"Gabriella you might of noticed, that I'm not afraid of you. And guess what – Troy's single now, right?"_

"_I might be single – but I'm definitely not interested in dating anyone but Gabriella." Troy said smiling, as he walked past the two of them._

_Gabriella smirked. "Ouch. Think that was a rejection."_

"_Whatever – but you have no right to kick me off the squad!"_

"_I have every right. You might have noticed that I'm captain – and I just kicked you off my team." She smiled sweetly, and then walked off, leaving a shocked and embarrassed Sarah._

"Gabriella please.." Troy tried.

"Troy – don't." Gabriella warned.

"Look – cant we just talk? You don't have to get back with me, I just need to explain."

"I think you explained everything perfectly well on the tape." She told him just as the bell rang – good, she had a lucky escape.

"Come in." Principle Matsui called from his office. Sharpay opened the door, and walked in with Taylor following close behind with the table in her hand.

"Sharpay, Taylor – how can I help the two of you?" He asked, motioning for the both of them to sit on the two chairs by his desk.

"Sir, at the prom last night – I'm sure you're aware of what happened." Taylor started.

"Of course. I have no idea how, but a tape was played revealing three secrets – correct?"

"Yes, now me and Sharpay are close friends with all three students, whose secrets were revealed. So we decided to find out how the tape was played, and who done it."

"Carry on.."

"Well we found the tape in a tape player in the AV room, which was all connected to the gym. Now how we found out who did it? Recently Sarah Harris organised a 'dare night' consisting of myself, Sharpay, Gabriella, Troy, Chad, Zeke and two other basketball players and two other cheerleaders."

"A dare night?" Mr Matsui repeated.

"Yes, we were all partnered up and given five dares to complete. The last dare was to be done at this school. It said we had to reveal our deepest darkest secrets to our partner in the janitor's closet. So we all did, and the only people in there at each time, were the partners. So only Sarah could have recorded us – as she knew we'd all be in there."

"Your telling me, you think Sarah Harris played the tape during prom?" 

"Exactly. We have proof that the dare night did take place, and that the last dare did involve us telling our secrets." Sharpay told him, reaching into her bag and bringing out an envelope which had five cards in it – then handed it over.

"Also, we know for a fact Sarah hates Gabriella – and is in love with Troy. So it all fits together why she did it – to break Troy and Gabriella up." Taylor concluded.

"Girls this is a very serious accusation here – and I will look into it further, is that all?"

"No, there's more. We also have reasons to believe that Sarah stole the Algebra test paper last month. She was being tutored by someone from the student centre, and that's where she would have had the keys to steal it. If you look at her test papers she went from a D- to an A within a week."

"Girls, do you have any proof that she stole the test paper?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes we do. Speak to Lacey Hanberry – head of the tutor centre. She tutored Sarah for a week, and she told us that never has anyone skipped from a D to an A within a week of her tutoring."

"Right okay, as I said before I will look further into these accusations – and I'll get back to you. Thank you for your help girls."


	21. Confessions in the Closet

**Hey guys! I updated within two days, that must be some kind of record for me, haha! Well I am on Easter Holidays right now, so expect more updates like this from me.**

**Btw I hope you guys had a nice Easter!**

**This chapter is basically a filler, but of course it was anticipated. I hope you guys enjoy it, don't forget to review! I love signing on msn to find emails off FanFiction saying I've been reviewed - so continue to do that, so I get nice surpises everytime I go to my inbox!**

**Thanks for reading guys, Rhia xx**

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**Chapter 21 – Confessions in the Closet.**

Two days passed and Gabriella still wasn't bothering to listen to Troy. How could someone 'explain' their way out of betting on an innocent girl? Did he not care about her feelings? Did he even think about what would happen after this bet was over?

"Okay so as far as I know, Sarah's been in questioning with the principle for two days straight – I don't think they can get it out of her." Taylor told Gabriella and Sharpay as the three of them sat in English.

"I heard she confessed to the whole dare night thing – I mean with the evidence right beneath her nose, she couldn't really lie her way out of that. She definitely hasn't admitted to stealing the Algebra test though." Sharpay added. The two of them were spending the whole week, dedicated to getting Sarah expelled.

"How did you guys find out about the Algebra test?" Gabriella asked, getting more interested in the conversation.

"Well, since I used to be a tutor I pop back now and again to check how things are going on. Anyway me and Lacey were talking about what happened at prom, and I told her mine and Sharpay's plan and then she started telling me about the Algebra test paper that went missing last month, from their Test Support Centre."

"She told Taylor that since she is only currently tutoring Sarah, she must have stolen her keys – as Lacey and Sarah were the only ones in the tutor centre all day when the test was taken. The story sounds so true, I mean we have solid proof that it must have been Sarah – but she's obviously talking her way out of it." Sharpay sighed.

"Don't worry – she won't get away with anything. And thanks guys for doing this, it's one less problem I have to deal with." Gabriella told her best friends, giving them both a small smile.

"Hey – it's not at all a problem. We want to see that cow get kicked out of this school too!" Taylor said.

Gabriella gave a small laugh. "I'm sorry I've been a bit distant the past two days, I've just had a lot on my mind. It feels like we haven't spoken properly in ages, how are you and Chad?" She asked, turning towards Taylor.

"We haven't spoken since prom. I'm really starting to miss him though.."

"You should let him talk to you.. He's probably got a better excuse than Troy."

"Gab – you should let Troy talk to you too. I know you have all these unanswered questions floating around in your mind. Their going to stay that way if you don't let him in once more."

What happened to the times when school was amusing? When you got a laugh out of it? Talking with your best friends and boyfriend all day?

Now all Gabriella got out of school was little education and a lot of emotion drama.

What Taylor told her earlier, had stuck in her mind throughout the day. She knew she was right – she had to listen to Troy eventually, she was just trying to delay that time.

"Gabriella," He called out from down the hallway. "Wait up!"

She couldn't run now. She couldn't pretend she hadn't heard him, and head off in the opposite direction – he'd seen that she'd saw him.

Gabriella closed her locker, and turned around and began tapping her foot – signalling she wasn't waiting around for him.

"Can we talk now? You can't keep running away from me. I know your timetable and every time I see you you're running off in a different direction from where your classes are." Troy said quickly.

"Fine – you've got five minutes." She told him bluntly.

"Can we not do this here? I'd rather not have the whole school listen to our conversation.."

"Why not? They all heard what you had to say at prom." Gabriella smirked, enjoying the sadness on his face. He was getting what he deserved, he hurt her twice as bad.

"Please, can we just talk somewhere in private?" He pleaded. Gabriella sighed, wanting to get this over with as soon as she could, she nodded. Troy grabbed her hand and quickly moved down the hallway, looking for a spare classroom – but they were all full.

He finally stopped outside a black door and motioned for Gabriella to go in.

JANITOR'S CLOSET.

"Ironic, Troy." She muttered then opened the door and walked in, Troy quickly following.

"Okay you don't know how much I regret telling Gregg that secret. Seriously, I know how much it hurt you and I'm incredibly sorry you had to hear about it. I was hoping me and Chad could just forget about it.."

"What, after you had your money?" Gabriella asked, raising her eyebrows.

"I wouldn't have cared if I had my money or not. Anyway, so this is the story. Back before I even knew your name – I was a jerk, right? A player, didn't care about anyone's feelings other than mine. So I thought I could get with you, because being the big headed idiot I was – I thought I was irresistible to every girl in the school."

He paused to look at Gabriella, who waved at him to carry on.

"Chad bet that you wouldn't say yes to a date with me, so I thought this was impossible for someone to turn me down – so I agreed. Being stupid I told him you'd even say yes to four dates, so that's where the bet stood. You had to agree to four dates. Chasing after you made me fall for you even more, because I knew you weren't like the other girls who would have said before I even finished the question."

"I started to like you more and more, and I didn't care about the bet anymore – I cared about you. Chad extended the bet for you to say yes to a prom date. I didn't care, I didn't want the money anymore, and I just wanted you as my girlfriend. Eventually the two of us forgot about the bet, we didn't mention it again really. The two of us just enjoyed being with you and Taylor."

"I've never been happier, than the time I spent with you Gab. You changed me you know? You made me a better person, and for once in my life I actually cared about a girls feelings. I care about you so much.."

"Troy that doesn't mean what you did wasn't wrong. You bet on me – like I was some race horse. You just wanted money off me!" Gabriella cried.

"At first, I know! But after you turned me down, everything changed. I tried and tried, because I really wanted you – not because I really wanted to see Chad's face when I told him you'd said yes." Troy said, on the verge of tears now.

"I'm being completely honest here. I don't regret making that bet, because if I didn't, it would have meant I'd never have tried to win your heart, we'd never have got together, had all those good times together. I regret using that secret as my dare night secret. I regret not telling you myself, or telling Chad the bet was off a long time ago. I even regret sleeping with Sarah, because I know how much she pisses you off."

"I don't know what you want me to say Troy.." She was truly speechless.

"Say that we'll be okay." He said softly.

"I can't say that Troy.. Not now."

Troy took a deep breath then took both of Gabriella's hands into his. "But I'm in love with you." He whispered.

Gabriella stepped back a little. Did he really just say what she though he had said? Did he just confess his love for her?

"You love me?" She got out.

"So much." He added.

"Troy, saying that won't make me forget about what happened. But I will put it behind us for now. I still don't think after everything that's just happened to us, it's good to get back just now. I think we need a break from each other, so all this mess is just cleared up."

"If you want a break, we'll take a break – as long as I can talk to you without you running away."

Gabriella smiled a little. "We can be just friends for now. Something we missed out doing the last time. I cant tell you when we'll get back – because I don't know, but I can promise you that I will think our relationship over, and tell you when everything's sorted out, and I'm ready again."

"That's all I ask." Troy smiled down at her, then pulled her in for a small, friendly hug.

Gabriella pulled away shortly, and turned to leave. Before she opened the door, she slowly turned around so she was facing Troy. "Oh, and I love you too Troy. But that doesn't change the situation." She smiled once more, then left him in the closet.

Troy's smile immediately turned into a grin, and ran out of the closet. He turned to see which way Gabriella went, but stopped when he saw Chad laughing.

"What?" Troy asked.

"Okay, so you and Gabriella come out of the janitor's closet after each other, both with big grins on your faces. Am I wrong in guessing you just had some 'we are back together' celebration in there?" Chad grinned, pointing towards the closet that Troy and Gabriella had just walked out of.

Troy shook his head, laughing. "You're definitely wrong. A confession happened in there – not a celebration. But I might just go celebrate now – Gabriella loves me." Troy said, his voice starting to turn into a squeal.

"Really? Dude that's awesome! So your back then?" Chad said, high fiving him.

"Oh no were not, were on a break."

"So she tells you she loves you, but you don't get back together. Dude your relationship is messed up."

Troy grinned, then left his best friend who was still trying to work out how two people could be in love with each other, but don't get back together.

**So what do you think of that, huh?**

**I can assure you they will get properly back together within time, should only be about two chapters untill they do? I still have to sort out Taylor and Chad see, and we haven't had any Zekepay in a while either! Actually coming to think of it, they haven't even got together yet. Yikes - I'll try and include that in the next chapter!**

**Anyway since Gabriella's found out about the bet and everything, I've been wondering what else to put into the story, for drama. So I was wondering if you guy's could help out a little, maybe post a few ideas in your reviews?**

**And also if you were a fan of Anywhere But Here and its sequel, Where I Belong - I am starting to write it's (what ever after a sequel is called) for it! Should be up within one to two weeks!  
**

**And finally lastly, can anyone tell me what you call a third story? Like you have the first, then the sequel, then the ? Prequel? Or is that fourth? Meh I dunno.. So can you help me out on that one LOL? xx**


	22. The New Boy

**Okay so it look me a little longer to update because everytime I sat at the computer and began typing, I was interupted or was invited somewhere. Anyway so I've been pretty busy but not to worry as I still have another week off school! T**

**This chapter isn't that long, but basically I just wanted to introduce the new character, but hopefully I'll update soon!** **Also a huge thanks to, xxyou're the music in mexx for her awesome idea! Her idea is used in this chapter, and will continue into more. So thanks a lot!**

**If you guys have any ideas you'd like to submit, I'd love to hear them - seriously!**

**Enjoy the chapter, and don't forget (you loyal readers never do forget to but..) REVIEW!**

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**Chapter 22 – The New Boy**

"She's gone. Gone for good." Taylor told Sharpay and Gabriella while they sat talking in Social Studies two days later.

"Gone? What do you mean gone? Seriously?!" Sharpay asked, sitting up and getting more interested in the conversation.

"I saw her clearing out her locker this morning. She must have admitted to the Algebra test, and the principle already knew about the prom incident - she's been expelled." Taylor grinned.

"Thank god!" Gabriella breathed. "Thank you guys so much for doing this, finally my life is starting to get back on track."

"No problem at all. Anyway so let's talk relationships." Sharpay turned to Taylor. "What are you going to do about Chad?"

"What do you mean 'what am I going to do?' I have nothing to say to him!"

"Taylor come on, hear him out." Gabriella pleaded. She knew how much Chad hated himself right now.

"Hear him out? How can you say that when just days ago Troy was on the top of your hate list!?"

"You have a hate list?" Sharpay interrupted.

"No." Gabriella looked at Taylor. "I listened to Troy, and turns out it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be - it's actually cleared a lot of things up, and I'm glad I let him explain."

"How can someone explain their way out of cheating on someone?!"

As Sharpay was about to open her mouth to answer that question, there was a knock on the brightly coloured door and a very cute teenager walked in.

"Can I help you?" Mrs Taylor asked, looking up from behind her desk.

"Uh I'm new here, and I'm supposed to be in this class?" He said his voice a little shaky. It was acceptable though, Mrs Taylor was a bit scary looking.

"Not another one." She muttered. "Oh well okay. Since this is supposed to be Social Studies, you can introduce yourself to us all. Might pass the time."

The boy looked at her. She was supposed to be the teacher of this class? He turned to look at the bored looking class. Well this didn't exactly look like the brightest class either so it figured.

"My names David and I'm from Florida, I just moved here last week." He spoke up. "I uh don't know what else to say.. I'm not much good at introducing myself."

"Any questions for our new student?" Mrs Taylor asked the class, who looked like they wouldn't even make the effort to raise a hand.

"This is more of a statement, not a question, but boy you are really hot." Sharpay winked, and then flashed one of her winning smiles.

"Uh, thank you..?"

"Sharpay." She smiled.

"Thank you Sharpay.." He blushed.

"So I'm guessing you still haven't asked Sharpay out?" Troy hissed in the back row.

"No, well its obvious now she isn't interested - look at her." Zeke pointed to Sharpay, who was currently waving at David and giggling.

"Well that's only cos' you waited too long!" Chad pointed out.

"Well I thought me asking her to the prom would like give her the idea that I like her.. Obviously not." Zeke said gloomily, sinking further into his seat.

Troy looked up to see that David had now sat down in the free desk next to Gabriella. The two of them were talking with Taylor and Sharpay, and they all seemed to be laughing at something he said.

"I think this David is going to be a lot more trouble than either of us expected."

It was lunchtime, and Chad, Troy and Zeke were dreading seeing David's face again. He seemed like a nice guy, but how could he expect the three of them to be nice to him - when Taylor, Gabi, and Sharpay had offered to show him around the school!?

"Hey guys!" Gabriella said cheerfully, as the three boys stopped beside their table. "This is Troy, Chad and Zeke."

"Oh hey I'm David - you were in Social Studies, weren't you?" David said smiling at them.

"Yeah." Chad muttered then sat down beside Sharpay.

"So are you all dating?" David asked casually.

But he had already said it. There was no going back, the big 'D' word had come up - the word all six of them had been dreading since prom.

"Uh no were not, were all single." Taylor coughed, trying to get off the subject as quickly as possible.

"But me and Gabi are on a break, aren't we?" Troy smiled sweetly at her, hoping David got the message that Gabriella was off the market.

"Oh right - cool." David shrugged.

"But the rest of us aren't dating at all." Sharpay quickly added, then flicked her hair back.

"Did you see that!? That was a hair flick!" Zeke whispered to Troy, who wasn't paying that much attention - his focus seemed to be stuck on Gabriella.

David, noticing the awkward silence between the group, decided to speak up again. "So what's the basketball team here like? I used to play basketball all the time back home."

"Really!? That's so cool!" Sharpay complemented.

"We have an awesome team, I'm captain." Troy told him.

"Really? So when are the next try outs?"

Troy cursed inside of him. That's all he needed now was David on the basketball team. "Next Tuesday." He muttered.

"What was that?"

Troy looked up at David, then smirked. "Next uh, Monday." He said, more clearly this time.

"Monday? Dude their next Tuesday!" Chad corrected him, obviously not getting Troy's plan.

"Oh they are? I thought they were Monday.. Never mind.."

Chad walked along the road, occasionally looking up at the pretty houses to the left of him. He carried on walking until he finally reached his destination. It was a medium size house, the garden still as untouched and beautiful as it was the last time he was here, which happened to be, not long ago.

He walked up the pebbled path, which led to the bright red door. Chad knocked hardly and waited for someone to respond. Within seconds he heard someone running down stairs, who quickly opened the door - and then froze.

"You've avoided all week at school, but please - let me have my say." Chad pleaded.

Taylor sighed, then opened the door wider to let him in. She led him through the house then out into the neat, pretty garden. She sat down on the bench, and waited until Chad was sitting too before she spoke.

"You've got five minutes."

"Okay, I was a total jerk when we started dating at first - I was like, Troy! I didn't take our relationship serious, I wasn't that interested. At this party, I was really drunk - maybe drunker than I've ever been before. Anyway, being drunk and arrogant wasn't an excellent combo, and well.. You know the rest." He looked up to check Taylor was still listening, then carried on.

"About a week after that, I changed. I started getting more and more interested in this relationship, and I thought you were great. I was starting to like you more and more - until the old Chad was gone and replaced with me. You've got to believe me when I say I completely regretting sleeping with that girl - and your the best thing that's happened to be since basketball."

Taylor smirked. I guess you couldn't really expect to top basketball. "Your explanation has made me feel that you deserve to be forgiven, but I'm also feeling pretty stubborn.."

"Taylor, please - even if we don't get back together, I just want your forgiveness."

Taylor's face softened when she saw how desperate he was. "Okay, you're forgiven - I guess everyone make's mistakes. And Chad, if it's okay with you, I'd like to get back together - I don't see the point still liking you without being with you."

"I dunno.. Troy and Gabriella seem to be doing a good job at liking each other and not being with each other. But screw them - you forgave me!" Chad quickly hugged Taylor and grinned, happiness pouring into his body.


	23. Madness at Midnight

**Thanks for all the recent reviews - you guys are awesome seriously :. This chapter is a bit longer, as a little thank you haha. And also good news, (for most of you?) I'm planning a sequel to this allready, I mean it should be ending in about 5(?) chapters.**

**Also before any of you review with this, I know the idea of Midnight Madness is taken from One Tree Hill - I told you in the first chapter there would be some references to it, but yeah I've changed the storyline about it though.**

**Anyway enjoy the chapter, and review! xx**

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**Chapter 23 – Madness at Midnight**

"So I heard your back with Chad?" Gabriella asked, smirking at Taylor, knowing she had been right all along.

"Where did you hear that? I didn't tell you yet.."

"Oh come on, like Chad's going to keep something like that to himself. He called us all up last night." Sharpay laughed.

"Hey guys!" David said happily as he walked up to the three of them.

"Oh hey David – what's up?" Taylor asked casually.

"I just tried out for the basketball team – Troy's a pretty tough captain, eh?"

"Yeah I guess he just wants the best for his team." Gabriella answered.

"Yeah. Well I lasted through it, and thought I did pretty well, so who knows? I might just be the next addition to the East High Wild Cats!"

The three girls just stared. He sounded so enthusiastic, he might have been in a movie. David looked at the three of them with a huge grin on his face, clearly excited.

"Yeah well, uh good luck." Gabriella managed to get out after moments of silence.

--

"There's no way he's getting on my team." Troy said firmly, as he walked out of the locker room with Chad and Zeke.

"But he was awesome! He got every basket, he didn't fall behind, and he was great at blocking!" Chad told him.

"He's right man, he was good." Zeke added.

"Dude – he's after Sharpay, do you really want him on the team?!"

"Well no.. But we will need him to win the next championships." He pointed out.

"You guys don't get it. If he's on the team, there's more chance Taylor, Gabriella and Sharpay will fall for him." Troy sighed.

"Me and Taylor are together, so I'm safe." Chad shrugged.

"I think you should put him on the team, and I'll talk to Sharpay about where we stand. Then everyone wins?"

"But- oh come on guys! I just don't like him!"

"But we need him on the team!"

"We've won every single game, without him – who says we need him?"

"We do! Now just get over your little problem with him, and tell him he's made it on the team already!" Chad told him.

Troy muttered something under his breath, but it didn't matter. It was clear everyone else wanted David on the team, and as much as he would have liked too, he couldn't change the minds of the whole team.

--

"Gabriella!" Troy called across the hallway, just after the last bell rang, signalling everyone could go home.

"What's up?" She smiled at him.

"I was wondering I could walk you home?" He suggested, desperately hoping she'd say yes. He hadn't properly spoken to her in days, and feared if they didn't have a real conversation soon, she wouldn't want to get back with him.

"Sure, let me just get my bag." She told him, then reached into her locker, and pulled out a cute brown bag. She closed the locker behind her and grinned.

"Ready?"

"Uh yeah." Troy nodded. The two of them walked out of school together, neither of them talking until the school was out of sight.

"So how have you been? I haven't had the chance to speak to you much this week." Gabriella spoke up.

"Oh I've been cool, what about you?"

"I've actually been really good, much happier than I was a week ago." She grinned. "So what are you going to do about David? Is he good enough to be on the fantastic East High Wild Cats!?" She asked dramatically.

Troy laughed, and considered telling her that he didn't like him, so didn't want to put him on the team, but realized Gabriella would think of him as childish and stubborn, so decided against it.

"You don't like him do you?" Troy turned to look at her, was it that obvious!?

"Well.." He paused, thinking about how to answer it. "Not really, if I'm being completely honest, but he's a good player, so I'm thinking of putting him on the team."

"Aw that's great Troy! He's a real cool guy, and if he's on the team – you'll be spending more time together, so maybe he'll grow on you."

"Yeah, maybe." Troy answered, thinking about how Gabriella said him and David would be spending a lot more time together – he didn't know if he could bear anymore time with this guy.

"So how's cheerleading?" He asked.

"Well we haven't had a practise since before prom, but I've got one organised for tomorrow – should be much better without Sarah."

"Oh yeah, I heard she got expelled – pretty great, eh?"

"Great? I'm totally ecstatic about it!" Gabriella giggled. "What did you ever see in her?"

"I saw nothing inside of her, she was just hot. That's the way I used to roll, remember. Until you came along." He smiled. "I'm sorry for the way she treated you though, I wish I never slept with her – she'd of never been such a problem to you."

"Troy its not your fault, but thanks for apologising anyway." Gabriella nodded at him, the two of them remaining silent for the rest of the journey, until they reached Gabriella's house.

"Well here we are.." Gabriella said, a little awkward. How was she supposed to say bye to someone she was on a break with?!

Troy noticed she was a little uncomfortable so decided to settle for hug, I mean you can't go wrong with a hug right?

--

Five days later..

**MIDNIGHT MADNESS.**

"I am so tired." Sharpay yawned as she got ready with the rest of the cheerleaders.

"Well most people went to sleep at like six? And woke up at like eleven? So it kinda evens out." Taylor told her.

"Well nobody told me they were doing it, I've been awake all night!"

Gabriella shook her head, knowing somebody wouldn't have the logic to go to sleep. She pulled on her skirt, making sure she looked okay. Midnight Madness was a big thing at East High. Every year, one night, at midnight there would be a mini pep rally. Cheerleaders would dance, and the basketball team would reveal their new additions, and have a game against each other.

Nearly all the school would turn up to see whether the new basketball players are good, and to see the specially prepared cheerleader performance.

"Okay we have about twenty minutes before we go out there, so as you all know – I told you at Midnight Madness, you'd get the opportunity to change your draft boys. You can only change tonight, and there'll be no changing back. Both of you have to agree obviously." Gabriella told them all, then got out a piece of cardboard with everyone's name on, and their boys.

"I also have to announce that there is two new basketball players available for anyone, David Stewart and Harrison Morgan – also Gregg is available, as Sarah's been expelled."

"Oh my god, I want to have Harrison he is so hot!" A cheerleader from the back called out.

"Jessica has Harrison!" Gabriella called out.

One of the school reporters, the same one who was there at the original draft was back, speaking into his mic which could be heard all over in the gym.

"I want to swap with Holly, she has Jack and I have Richard." A girl told Gabriella.

"Holly, you want this too, yeah?" Gabi checked, then after she nodded, began writing the new couples onto the cardboard.

"Holly now has Richard, and Monica has Jack!" The boy shouted into his mic.

"I might swap, for David." Sharpay said quietly to Taylor.

"What!?" Taylor cried, definitely not expecting that to come out of Sharpay's mouth.

"Well David is extremely hot, really kind, and he seems like a really nice person."

"But this is Zeke were talking about! You went to prom with him! He's like in love with you Sharpay – and I know you still have feelings for him!" She told her best friend.

"He's in love with me is he? Well why hasn't he spoken a word to me since prom?" Sharpay asked, her voice getting louder.

"I don't know.. But I know for a fact he really likes you."

--

Zeke froze, he could hear Sharpay's voice being projected through out the gym and the boy's locker room. He knew she was discussing the boy draft – was she thinking about trading him in!?

"I'm fed up of waiting around for him – I might just swap him for David." Her voice was heard throughout the room. Everyone turned to look at Zeke, sympathy poured all over their faces.

"And you wanted him on the team? Because he's on the team – he's available for Sharpay to pick!" Troy hissed.

"Look man, I'm sorry I had no idea Sharpay liked me – well she does call me hot a lot, but I understand you really like her – so I wont go out with her unless that's okay with you dude." David said, coming over to sit next to Zeke.

Zeke looked at David's face, the anger building up in him. The anger was at himself mostly, but at David for coming into everyone's lives – now he would never get to be with Sharpay.

"Well sorry again." David said, getting up, but Zeke got up with him, and began pushing him.

"Zeke!" Chad called out, looking at Troy for back up, but Troy was just there laughing, hoping David got what he deserved – which was nothing, but Troy wanted to see a few punches thrown at him.

"You think your all that, now that Sharpay likes you, huh!?" Zeke said loudly.

"Let me introduce, the EAST HIGH WILD CATS!" A loud voice was heard fro the gym, followed by cheers. The curtain was pulled, to reveal the dark gym, with lights shooting everywhere.

"I don't like Sharpay!" David cried.

"Oh really!? What about Gabriella, or Taylor – just stay away!" Zeke shouted, then ran and tackled him to the ground, everyone in the gym watching him take David to the floor.

Troy looked up at everyone, and shrugged, deciding to join in. "Oh well I've wanted to beat his ass since he came here."


	24. The Future's Around The Corner

**Hey guys, here's the next chapter, I actually really enjoyed writing this one :). The end of the story is coming closer, and I do have a sequel planned - there's a hint in the chapter what it will be based on!**

**Enjoy the chapter and as always, review!**

**Rhia x**

**Chapter 24 - The Future's Around The Corner**

"I can't believe he done it - I was so embarrassed." Sharpay cried as she paced around her room, later that evening.

"Well I'm so mad at Troy for jumping in! David has done nothing but be nice to him!" Gabriella said angrily. "And then he had to go have the game cancelled for hitting David's brother - even though he said that was an accident, he said he was actually aiming for David."

"I feel so sorry for David."

"Yeah. So what happened after you followed Zeke out of the gym?"

_"Zeke! Zeke! What the hell was that for!?" Sharpay screamed as she ran out of the gym, trying to catch up with him._

_"I can't believe you were going to swap me for him. I thought you knew I liked you." Zeke said, turning around to face her._

_"You had a funny way of showing it! And don't turn this around on me, David's done nothing to you!"_

_Zeke muttered something then continued walking. Sharpay began to pick up her pace until she was finally walking right next to him. "Why did you hit him then?"_

_"I was jealous okay!? You've been all over him since he arrived here, and I thought he liked you too - and then you went and considered swapping me for him - I just flipped." Zeke sighed. "I know I shouldn't have, but I was angrier at myself than at David - I knew I should have made a move sooner."_

_"I know you should have. I've been waiting for you to say something for months now - I was beginning to think you'd lost interest. Anyway, I didn't pick David in the end did I? I picked you!"_

_"Yeah well I didn't hear that part; I'd already tackled him to the ground. Why have you acted so interested him if you didn't pick him then?"_

_"I acted like I liked David so you would get a bit jealous, and finally get a move on! But no, you still didn't tell me you liked me - but instead you take everything out on David, who didn't deserve anything! And why the hell did Troy join in?" Sharpay yelled._

_"Oh come on, it's Troy - of course he was going to join in. Has there ever been a fight where he hasn't somehow been involved!?"_

_"You have a point.. I'm still really mad at you though Zeke - I thought you were different, but I saw a completely different side of you tonight."_

_"I only acted that way, because I was jealous David was going to get with the girl I love." Zeke said truthfully._

_"You love me?" Sharpay stuttered._

_--_

"Oh come on Gabi! You can't be mad at me - I didn't do anything!" Troy told her later that day, standing outside her house. He had tried calling her since Midnight Madness, but she had refused to answer all day.

"You didn't do anything?!" She repeated. "Well I seem you remember you joining in a fight that had nothing to do with you, whatsoever! And you hit David's brother! Oh and how about how you yelled at him to stay away from me - pathetic Troy! You knew perfectly well there was nothing going on between me and David, and even if he liked me - I love you! Doesn't that mean anything?"

Troy was taken back by all the things Gabriella had just yelled at him. He had to admit he was pretty stupid for joining in on the fight.. But he had been tempted to hit David ever since he saw the way he looked at Gabriella.. "Knowing that you love me, mean's everything to me Gabi. I wasn't thinking straight.. I thought David liked you, and just wanted to warn him off. I've been scared that because were on a break - your available to other guys. You might find someone else."

Gabriella sighed. "Troy, we seem to arguing a lot these days.."

"I know - and I'm sorry. I just want things to go back as they were, before David, before prom - when it was just you and me."

"I want things to go back too, but we can't change what's happened in the past. I forgive you for everything that happened last night, but I want you to go apologise to David and his brother - and I want you to be nice to him from now on Troy. He's a friend of mine, and I'd really appreciate it if the two of you got along." Gabriella paused. "But I still think we should stay on a break, just for now - I mean so much has happened."

Troy nodded, just happy that he had received another chance of Gabriella. "That's all I ask, when your ready to get back - I'm here. And I guess I can try to be nice with David, no best buddy stuff though."

"I just want you to be able to talk to him without getting the urge to punch him in the face." Gabriella smiled.

"Oh well I don't know about that.. I can promise you that I will fight off any urges I get to physically hurt David in anyway." Troy said, holding up his little finger. "Pinkie."

"You spend way to much time around Chad." She giggled.

"How about we take a walk to the park?" He asked Gabi, not taking his eyes off her.

"Sounds good." Gabriella answered. "I'm sure Taylor said that she and Chad would be by the basketball court most of the day, so let's go see if we can find them."

Ten minutes later, the two of them were walking along the path that led to the basketball court, where Troy, Chad and Zeke spent their days and nights playing two on one games.

"So, what does the future hold for Gabriella Montez after high school?" Troy asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Oh this and that. I'm hoping to do something with science, maybe chemistry, if not I'd love to be kindergarten teacher. What about you?"

"Basketball. I've applied for a scholarship, just waiting on an answer now - then that's my ticket."

"Well we all know your going to get the scholarship.. What about Chad, does he want to purse basketball too?"

"Yeah. We both applied for a scholarship at the same college, there are only about six spaces, but whatever if neither of us get it we'll try another college."

"You guys are really close, huh?"

"He's like my brother, we've been this way since preschool." Troy smiled as they reached the court to see Chad and Zeke shooting hoops, and Taylor and Sharpay huddled over a laptop on the bench. Gabriella skipped over to her two best friends, and sat down beside Taylor.

"Hey guys." She said cheerfully.

"Oh hey Gabi, we thought you'd come here sooner or later - with or without Troy, that's another story." Taylor winked.

Gabriella told Sharpay and Taylor everything that had happened earlier between herself and Troy, and how they were still on a break.

"Wow really? I thought you guys would be back by now.." Sharpay said.

"Yeah me too, but now this comes up. But were great on a break, were just having fun as friends for the moment, but we will get back soon - I mean were in love, right?" Gabi laughed.

"Sure you are, but Gab sooner or later everyone's going to be heading off to college, do you really want to waste the time you have left with him, on a break?" Taylor asked her.

Gabriella sat there, rethinking what Taylor had just said. She was right. They were all going off to college soon, they were all splitting up. Did she really want to waste the only time she had left with him?

"So what's happening between you and Zeke?" Gabriella asked Sharpay, trying as hard as she could to forget about what Taylor had pointed out.

"Oh, were together I guess. After the big argument last night, we kinda got together. He told me he loved me!" She squealed.

"He did? And you love him back?" Taylor asked, sitting up.

"I think I do. I mean I've never felt this way about a boy before, and usually if a boy hasn't asked me out within like a month, I move on. I've stuck with Zeke all year - I really really like him. I love him." She smiled. "Anyway have you found out about the trip?" She asked, turning her attention to Taylor.

"Oh yeah. It's going to totally work out. We'll need two cars, and I've found this site that can work out our route." Taylor told her proudly.

"That's great - it's going to be so much fun, I can't wait!"

"What can't you wait for?" Gabriella asked.

"Taylor's planning a road trip for us! For this summer, we'll all have finished high school, and she's worked out that neither of us are leaving for college until late August, early September - so she's planned a summer road trip!"

"A road trip? Taylor that's an awesome idea!" Gabriella grinned.

"I know! The six of us, travelling across America together. I had to organise something, I mean we need to do something big before we all leave. I mean were not going to see each other for months, maybe years! This is the trip before our futures really begin."

Gabriella looked up to see Troy highfiving Zeke happily. He was oblivious to the fact she was watching him closely, the way he moved when he had the ball, and the way he let it out of his hands, and how the ball went through every single time. She was excited for the future, starting college and meeting new friends. But did meeting new friends mean replacing the old ones? Was Troy going to find a new girlfriend? Most likely. Was he going to forget all about Gabriella? It could happen. Was she ever going to forget about him, or months they had spent together?

Never.

**I just wanted to say, Troyella will be back within a chapter. Review! x**


	25. Not Long Now

**I'm really sorry for the delay in uploading this chapter! I started writing, but kept getting interupted and then I was stuck for ideas, but here we go! The next chapter is most likely the last chapter of this story (pretty sad,huh?) :(! But do not fear, I do have a sequel planned. If you didn't guess - its going to be about their roadtrip!**

**ALSO, MY STORY 'WHERE I BELONG' NOW HAS ITS SEQUEL ONE SHOT THAT HAS BEEN UPLOADED, SO ANY FANS OF 'ANYWHERE BUT HERE' OR 'WHERE I BELONG' SHOULD READ IT, TO CATCH UP WITH TROY, GABRIELLA ETC! (It's only had two reviews :(!)**

**Lastly, I just want to give a HUGE thank you to everyone whose reviewed this story so far - your all amazing! Keep reviewing guys, I love reading them!**

**Enjoy the chapter xx.**

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**Chapter 25 - Not Long Now..**

Over the weekend, Gabriella thought constantly about what Taylor had told her about her time running out with Troy. Now there was a clock in her mind, quickly ticking away, and counting the days that she had left with him. Never had it crossed her mind that sooner or later, they'd be off to college - and for the next four years of their life, they probably wouldn't see each other.

"Are you okay?" Troy asked, making Gabriella jump out of her thoughts. The two of them were in the library with a lot of other seniors. They all had free day to finish off last minute demands in homework, and check back replies from colleges.

"Me!? Oh I'm fine, just a little spaced out there." She forced a laugh at the end of her sentence, trying to cover up the fact that she'd been pretty spaced out all weekend.

"Are you sure your okay Gabs?" He asked again, raising his eyebrows.

Gabriella looked deeply into his deep blue eyes and sighed. Every time she looked at him, a bit of her was already starting to miss him. She knew that soon they'd be separated - and she really didn't know how she was going to cope. "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure - you know you can tell me anything. What's been bothering you?" Troy asked, closing his textbook, and turning his full attention to Gabriella.

"Can we not do this here?" She asked quietly, looking around at everyone in the library.

"Uh okay." Troy nodded, starting to get a little worried. He stood up, and then followed Gabriella out of the room, then along the empty hallways until she stopped outside an all too familiar room. "Were becoming regulars here, huh?" He grinned, and then followed her in.

JANITOR'S CLOSET.

"Troy, I think I'm ready to be your girlfriend again." She said quickly, once the door was closed. "I've realized that I have little time left with you, and I don't want to spend that time being just friends with you. Sure it's going to be harder to say goodbye, but at least I'll leave for college not regretting anything."

Troy looked down at Gabriella, who was currently biting her lip. Without saying anything, he lowered his head, and gently pushed Gabriella's chin up a bit, so they faces were levelled. He gave her a small smile, then leaned and kissed her, which she gladly returned. After a few moments, he pulled away slowly. "I love you so much."

"I love you too." Gabriella told him, then Troy wrapped his arms around her, and brought her into a tight hug, like he never wanted to let go - because he knew soon he would have too. He'd let her go, and wouldn't know when he'd next get to hold her, when he'd next get to see her face light up - or when he'd next see her at all.

--

"Somebody listened to my advice then." Taylor grinned on lunch, as the whole group sat outside on the grass, as it was a really beautiful day.

Gabriella laughed, and then let her head fall onto Troy's shoulder. "So what about this road trip then?"

"Well it's all planned, and after graduation - we head off. I checked that none of us leave for college until later on in the summer, which is great." Taylor informed everyone.

"This is going to be so awesome!" Sharpay squealed, sitting up. "How long do you think were going to be gone for?"

"Oh not that long - about two to three weeks? I've worked out most of the route; I just have to check over a few things."

"And the maximum luggage is..?" Sharpay asked slowly, already knowing that the answer would not satisfy her.

"Well put it this way, there'll be three of us in the car - and me and Taylor have to fit in there with our luggage too." Gabriella told her. They had already sorted out that the boys would have a separate car as there would never be enough room in one.

"Why can't we just take a limo? I'm sure I can borrow my dads?" She suggested as everyone groaned. "What?"

"Sharpay - the whole point of a road trip is about living life on the road, so you're not taking huge amounts of clothes, and we want to be able to stop anyway, enjoy the fresh air and that - don't you?" Troy explained.

"We could have enjoyed the fresh air from the roof of the limo." She muttered as everyone shook their heads and went back to their own conversations.

"So are you excited to finally leave high school?" Gabriella asked Troy after a few moments of silence.

"Sure I'm excited for college, but I don't want to leave high school if you get me.. What about you?"

"I don't wanna leave. I like high school, I know everyone, and I know where everything is, and I'm with my friends, and my family live here. I'm actually dreading the start of my future - what if I don't meet any new friends at college?" She panicked, looking up at Troy.

"Gabi it's virtually impossible to not make friends at college - there's someone for everyone. And your college is only about a ten minute drive from that fashion college Sharpay's going too - at least you have someone to see every week." He reminded her, which automatically put a smile back on her face, which didn't last long.

"But your not going to be about ten minutes away.. Neither is Taylor, Zeke or Chad." She said gloomily.

"Gabi listen. College is going to be one of the best parts of your life - you're going to enjoy it, and you're going to do so well I know it. I'm going to miss you like hell too, but I know your going to be amazing there - I know you're destined to achieve greatness." He said, then kissed her forehead softly.

"You always know the right things to say. I feel like you have an answer to all my problems." She said quietly, then shifted closer to him, resting her head on his chest. "I just can't get the fact that were all separating out of my head - I mean this is my life, and it's like my life is being torn apart."

"Forget about all that, just think about the time we all have left together - don't think about leaving, think about making the time we have left together, the best ever."

"Your right. I'm getting upset over something that doesn't need to be thought of right now." She said positively. "I'm going to completely forget about college until I leave!"

--

"So, everything sorted for college then Gabs?" Zeke asked as the two of them sat with Chad in the library.

"What? College? I don't know what you're talking about." She laughed, trying as hard as she could too wipe the thoughts of it from her head.

"Huh? Are you okay?" Chad asked, raising his eyebrows.

Gabriella sighed then looked at the two of them. "I'm just trying to take college off my mind, but it seems that's what everyone's talking about right now."

Chad and Zeke looked at each other, then acted out zipping their lips together. "Were totally over talking about college." Zeke told her, grinning. "Okay so off the subject of college, how's your speech coming?"

_"You wanted to see my Principle Matsui?" Gabriella said walking into his office._

_"Yes Gabriella, I have a very important request." He smiled, then motioned for her to sit down in the chair opposite him. Once she was seated, he spoke again. "As you may know, graduation is quickly approaching us, and as always we ask one of our top students to make a speech at the ceremony. Gabriella you are a highly dedicated student here at East High, and the staff and I have decided that we'd like to offer you the chance the make a speech at graduation this year."_

_Gabriella stared at him, taking the news in slowly. Was he really asking her to speak at graduation? Only the top student got to do that usually.. Surely she wasn't..? Or was she? "Are you sure?" She gulped._

_"Very sure Gabriella. The rest of the teachers here have agreed that your an extremely high performing student here, and seem the best person for the job, as you are friends with everyone." He told her happily._

_"Oh my god - this is such an honour. I'd love to speak this year! Thank you so much!" She exclaimed, quickly got up to hug him but stopped before she embarrassed herself._

_"We all think you'll go far - we definitely expect to see great things from you in the future. Good luck with writing your speech." He smiled._

"Oh it's going well, I've written most of it, I'm just waiting for some more inspiration, and something to really make it special." She smiled.

"Well were all looking forward too it - it should be awesome." Chad told her. "Oh, and I'm expecting my name to pop up in it somewhere too."

"I'll try and fit it in somewhere.. But you'll have to wait and see."

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**DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT, 'THIS IS THE LIFE', IT'S 'ANYWHERE BUT HERE'S PREQUEL!!**

**And review as always! And anything you'd like to be in the last chapter? LET ME KNOW :)!**


	26. Graduation

**So this is the last chapter (omg!). I'd just like to thank you ALL for reading, and reviewing and favouriting etc this story - I've had so much fun writing it, and knowing people like to read it is awesome.**

**As you know, I do have a sequel planned on the road trip, and I haven't started writing it yet - but I will start as soon as I can, so story alert me so you know when it comes out!**

**Once again, thanks for following the story to the end - your all amazing :**

**REVIEW! (Last time I'm saying that haha!)**

**Rhia xx**

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**Chapter 26 - Graduation**

"I can't believe it ends today." Zeke said sadly, as he Chad, Gabriella and Sharpay sat in homeroom.

"I know right, but at least we still get an awesome graduation party at Troy's right?" Chad told them, trying to lift the mood.

"How did he get his parents to say yes to that?" Gabriella asked. She knew Troy's parents would have never of let him throw a party, never mind a graduation party – they were pretty wild.

"He didn't – he kind of shipped them off to Paris for the weekend. Told them it was his thank you for being great parents – and they didn't suspect a thing. What a classic."

"Hey guys, I'm just going to head for the bathroom a sec." Gabriella told the three of them, then quickly rushed off the girl's toilets, and shut the door tight behind her.

Gabriella ran her hands through her hair again, the started to go through her speech for the thousandth time that day. She was starting to get more and more nervous by the hour. Would they like the speech? Or think it was a waste of time writing it?

"Good afternoon everyone," She started again, reading through the small cards in her hands. "I'd like to thank you all for coming to support us all on this very big day, and," Gabriella stopped when she saw a certain somebody's reflection in the mirror.

"Sounding good."

"You do know this is the girl's bathroom, right?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.

"I do. But rumour was that my girlfriend was here, practising her speech – so I thought I'd come by and check it out." Troy grinned, and then wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Well you're going to have to wait till later to hear it." She smirked, and then kissed him on the cheek. "Anything else?"

"Fine, fine, I know where I'm not needed." He lifted both of his hands up, and began to back away.

"Come find me later okay?" Gabriella smiled. Troy nodded then walked back out of the bathroom, leaving Gabriella to carry on rehearsing.

"Good afternoon, my name is Gabriella Montez…"

--

"Now please welcome your class valedictorian, Gabriella Montez!" Principle Matsui announced at graduation later that day.

This was it. Gabriella took a deep breath, and then walked up to the podium. "Good afternoon everyone and thank you for coming today. Today is the last day we are high school students. All those years of wishing college would come around quicker, have gone by, and now here we are – about to start the rest of our lives. Whatever you chose to do, whatever path you take, I know your all going to achieve great things. This is the time we take control of our own knowledge, and start carving our future out."

"It seemed like it was just yesterday when I first started high school. My thoughts were no where near college; I just wanted to get through the first day in one piece. In just weeks or days, we'll all be separated. There'll be no more high school; we'll be face to face with the real world. I wish every single one of you the best, and I hope you all do well at college, or wherever else you are going too. High school may be over for us, but the friendships and relationships we've made over the last four years, will remain with us forever." Gabriella stopped, and then remembered something. "Right, Chad? Thank you all for listening."

The whole room stood up and began clapping. Gabriella sighed of relief once she saw the happiness on everyone's faces. She waved and nodded then went back over to her seat on the stage.

"Thank you very much Gabriella, and now, I give, East High Schools Graduating Class Of 2008!"

--

"It feels so strange to know we'll never be back in that school, as students." Taylor said. She was sitting on her bed with Gabriella and Sharpay, going through their yearbooks.

"I know. Hey, what did Troy write in your yearbook, Gab?" Sharpay asked, taking the book of her, and began flipping the pages over until she found the one she was looking for.

_To the most amazing girl in East High,_

_I love you so much, and meeting you was the best thing I've ever done. I know your most probably thinking; I'm going to return to playboy Troy Bolton when college starts – but your wrong. I'm going to wait for you Gabriella Montez._

_Just you see._

"Oh my god! That's so sweet!" Sharpay gushed. "This is what Zeke wrote in mine." She handed over her book for Taylor and Gabriella to read it.

_Sharpay,_

_I've liked you forever, and it feels so good to be finally with you, even though I know it's going to be over soon._

_You're my first love, and I know I'm going to be thinking of you all the time over the next years. It's going to be torture not seeing you everyday, but I just want you to know that I love you, and I'm always here for you._

_Can't wait to see your designs in the shops one day, I'll definitely be buying them._

_X_

"You two are so cute together." Taylor laughed then handed them her book. "I guess I better show what Chad wrote."

_Tay_

_I'm going to miss you so much._

_I don't really know what to put other than you've changed my life for the better, and I cant thank you enough._

_Good luck in college, I know you're going to be a top scientist or something really clever – and I'll be able to tell everyone that you were my girlfriend, and I never stopped loving you._

_And then you'll be able to say the same about me, when I'm a top basketball player._

_I'll be sure to send you a signed poster, don't worry._

_C'_

Gabriella burst out laughing then grinned. "Well it was a sweet, in a Chad kinda way." She told Taylor.

"Yeah I guess it's the best I'm going to get." She shrugged, and then checked her watch. "We should start getting ready – can't be late for the party."

An hour later, and the girls were completely ready, and were just checking over things. Sharpay was wearing a cherry coloured mini dress, with chunky stones on the white straps. Taylor was in a turquoise halter neck, which had a green jewelled encrusted belt on it, and finally Gabriella was wearing a silver sequined shift dress with black tights.

"This is like the last party were ever going to." Sharpay said sadly. She practically lived for high school parties – and had attended every single one. She even managed to come to one straight after her uncles wedding last year.

The three of them headed downstairs, said goodbye to Taylor's mom, and headed off. Troy's house was only a two minute walk from Taylor's, so before they knew it they were outside his front door, already hearing the music blasting from inside.

Not bothering to knock the door, as they knew nobody would hear it anyway, they walked inside to see huge groups of seniors lurking around, smiling and laughing.

"I'm really going to miss this." Sharpay told the girls, and then went off in search of Zeke.

Gabriella waved goodbye to Taylor then walked off into the kitchen, knowing Troy would be in there. She spotted him pouring himself a drink near the sink, so walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him. "Guess who?"

"Hmm, this has to be one of my three girlfriends I invited tonight, can you give a clue?"

"It's the one you love a lot."

"That doesn't really narrow it down.."

Gabriella laughed then turned him around. "Does this narrow it down?" She smirked, the leaned in and kissed him, not pulling back for a few moments.

"Definitely." He grinned then gave her a quick hug. "How are you holding up?"

"Good, sure it's sad, but we gotta make the best of it, right?"

"Right. Now I'm going to let you say goodbye to some of your cheerleading friends, and whoever else you wish to bid farewell too. Come find me later on, okay? Now have fun." He kissed the top of her head, then watched her walk away into the crowds of people.

Troy leaned back onto the kitchen counter and sighed. He had been keeping positive and happy for Gabriella, to show her not to be upset, and make the most of the time she had left with everyone. But the truth was, he was nearly dying inside knowing she'd be gone from his life within a month.

--

Later that night, Sharpay and Zeke were sat on Troy's sun loungers that surrounded the pool.

"Pretty ironic, huh? We first properly met here." Zeke laughed.

"Yeah." Sharpay answered, snuggling closer to him, and bringing the blanket lying beside them, up to cover them both. "I wish I'd met you earlier."

"Yeah. I doubt anything would have happened it's basically because of the draft we got together."

"Yeah, we have Gabriella to thank for that." She smiled. "And strangely Sarah, for picking Gregg."

"Yeah I think that's the only good nice Sarah done this year." Zeke laughed.

"So I worked out how far our colleges are apart. Two hours on a plane. I mean I can afford to come see you like every two weeks." Sharpay told him.

"Come on Shar, I can't expect you to pay for a flight all the time." Zeke said sadly.

"I know, but I want to do this – I want to be able to see you."

"I want to be able to see you too. So does this mean were not going to break up? Were just going to stay together, and see each other every so often?"

"I don't know.." Sharpay's voice trailed off. Her plan seemed like such a good one, she forgot about whether they were going too stay together. "What do you think?"

"Do you really think this relationship would work seeing each other twice a month?"

--

The next morning Gabriella woke up in the same room she woke up many weeks ago. It was in the same state, cans and bottles all over the floor, but this time it was different. She wasn't confused, she was happy. Tomorrow morning they left for their road trip – and she couldn't wait.

"Well I can happily tell you, that you made no promises to me last night." Troy smirked as he stood over her, with a glass of orange juice in his hands.

"Well that's an improvement." Gabriella took the glass off him then looked over to the sofa against the wall – just like last time, Sharpay was laid across it, sleeping. "At least Zeke's on there this time, not Gregg."

"Yeah. Anyway I'm guessing you still haven't packed?" Troy raised his eyebrows at her.

"And what, you have?"

"Well obviously no. But I was wondering whether you wanted me to drop you off at your house now, so you can pack?"

"Oh right – okay that would be great." Gabriella grinned then slipped her heels on and followed Troy out of the door, and into his car. He drove to her house in silence, the two of them deep in thought about college. That's all that was on their minds the past week - the fact that they'd be leaving each other soon, kept repeating and repeating itself, over and over again.

"Well here we are." Troy informed her. "Call me later, when you're done or something okay?"

"I will." Gabriella smiled then gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before getting out of the car, then walked up her driveway and into her house. "Mom I'm home!"

"Gabi! How was the party?" Ana Montez smirked at her daughter.

"Party? Mom - I just slept at Sharpay's."

"Oh come on, how stupid do you think I am?" She laughed. "One, you graduated yesterday - everyone goes to the graduation party - trust me. And two, you come home in your party dress, obviously telling me you slept at Troy's."

"How do you know Troy hosted the party?" Gabriella asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Biggest party of the year? Of course Troy is going to throw it."

--

"Well this is it." Gabriella told her mother the next morning, as they stood outside her house.

"Have fun, and be safe - call me if you need anything. Even if your hours away, I'm still here to help, got it?"

"Got it - and don't worry mom, Taylor's planned out the whole journey, we'll be fine." Gabriella told her, then hugged her once more. She picked up her bags and put them in the back seat of Sharpay's convertible.

"I'll let you get on with your road trip then - have a good time sweetie." Ms Montez blew her daughter a kiss then laughed and walked back into the house.

"Next stop - Arizona." Sharpay grinned, then opened her car door and got in. "Everybody got everything?"

"Yep." Gabriella answered, closing the door behind her. Taylor give her a quick wave from the front seat then turned back to turn on engine. "I'll just quickly phone Troy to see if they've headed off yet."

Gabriella quickly dialled his number, and waited for him to answer. "Hey - where are you?"

"Just headed off."

"Okay cool, were just leaving my house."

"Great - we'll see you in Arizona then."

* * *

**Also, any fans of Anywhere But Here and Where I Belong - the prequel/sequel has been uploaded - This Is The Life. Be sure to check it out, and review it - not many people have :(!**

**And review this, and look out for the sequel!**

**Love you all **

**xx**


	27. AUTHOURS NOTE SEQUEL!

**Hey guy's I just wanted to make this Authors Note to let you know that the sequel to this story has been made (and been out a while) but not many of you have checked it out.**

**Considering there were a lot of readers for this story anyway.. Not many people are currently reading or reviewing it.**

**Okay so it's called Our Summer On The Road and it's currently on it's fifth chapter (and fifth state) so be sure to check it out guys, it's a lot of fun!**

**So please read it - I mean it's the sequel to this story so I dont see why you wouldnt anyway, but yeah. **

**xx Rhia.**


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